


Shatter This Glass And Set Me Free

by shiningloki



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anxiety Attacks, Avenger Loki (Marvel), Blow Jobs, Brotherly Love, Bucky is even softer, Death, Drinking, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Falling In Love, First Time, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Gentle Loki, Hair Kink, Hair-pulling, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Jealousy, Light Dom/sub, Loki & Tony Stark Friendship, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Loki is Soft, Loki is in love, Loki is misunderstood, Loss of Virginity, Making Love, Making Out, Marking, Masturbation, More tags to be added when needed, OFC Has Powers, Oral Sex, Past Abuse, Prisoner Loki (Marvel), Romantic Loki, Sex, Slow Burn, Smut, Spanking, Teasing, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Violence, everyone is so soft, thor is so soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-06-23 23:35:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 49
Words: 184,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15617511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shiningloki/pseuds/shiningloki
Summary: Loki hasn't seen the light of day in years. He has been locked away in Stark Tower, waiting for Odin to free him of his punishment after his attack on New York. He's angry, he's spiteful, but most of all, he's lonely.It is not until one day when a new face comes along Stark Tower that everything begins to change. She's different from the rest. She's trusting, she's curious, and she's willing to give Loki a chance at companionship that no one has ever offered him.





	1. The Search

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys!! So this is my first fic that I've ever written and quite frankly I'm nervous as hell to upload it. I've written a few chapters already so I'll be uploading the first four or five in one day to get the ball rolling and the plot started. Updates should be weekly, but not set to a certain day as of right now. I hope you guys enjoy this super soft version of Loki because we all know that's exactly what he is. 
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 1114

“You’re sure this is a good idea?”

“Of course, when are my ideas ever bad?”

“Well, there was that one time with Ultron…”

“Okay, I’ll give you that. But you and I both know that wasn’t completely my idea.”

“Regardless, Stark, are you sure we should be doing this?”

“I have a good feeling about this one, Nat. Trust me.”

The plane shook under their feet. Leather hand straps dangling from the ceiling of the vessel swung like vines over the black seats that lined the walls. The plane was beginning its descent, slowly and hesitantly, above an open field. The only thing that otherwise occupied the space was an old, abandoned windmill. The entrance to a forest kissed the outside of the field, teasing the eye with its dense illusion. 

Tony stood at the front of the plane, eyes peering through the windshield. His hand rested on Natasha’s shoulder, unsure of whether he was trying to reassure himself or her. His fingers drummed idly against Natasha’s shoulder, revealing to her the anxiety coursing its way through his veins. Another agent sat beside her, a young man, barely even 23, guiding the plane lower. Tony saw the grass ripple below them as the air propulsion from the jet stream fell closer to the ground.

“You realize how dangerous this is, right?” Natasha said, pursing her lips while glancing backwards at Tony. “You didn’t even bring your suit.”

“Bringing the suit would only make her feel threatened. The mission is to go in, persuade her to trust us, and get out. It’s much easier to trust a man in street clothes than a man in a super suit. Besides, that’s why we brought Point Break over there.” Tony gestured towards the back of the plane where Thor stood, arms crossed.

“Why do you insist upon calling me that? It’s longer than my actual name.” Thor cracked a smile, shaking his head. The muscles in his arms twitched as he let out a low chuckle.

“Point Break is much shorter than Thor, God of Thunder, Son of Odin, Prince of Asgard-”

“Tony it is just Thor. We’ve been friends for years. You can just call me Thor.” Thor laughed, shaking his head and uncrossing his arms. He stretched his arms outwards to each side of the plane, then reached down to pick up Mjolnir. He tossed it back and forth between his hands, pursing his lips in thought. 

“Alright you two, break it up. We’re touching down in 3…2…” Natasha said, flicking some switches on the jet to open the back hatch. 

As the plane touched the ground, the hatch opened slowly, unveiling a ramp to the grass below. Tony and Thor looked at each other and exchanged a knowing nod. Tony turned back to Natasha, and his grip tightened on her shoulder.

“This might take a while. If we’re in danger, we’ll alert you with this.” Tony handed her a small, silver gadget. A small light built in was its only decoration. “It will light up red and ring if we need you. You know the drill in that case. Until then, sit tight.”

Natasha nodded, taking the device and holding onto it tightly.

“Be safe.” She affirmed, touching her own hand against Tony’s in an attempt to comfort his ever-present nerves. 

Tony turned to Thor, seeing his Asgardian armor replaced with a casual “Midgardian costume” (as Thor so humbly dubbed them). Mjolnir was replaced with a folded up umbrella. Tony crossed the plane to him and smiled slightly.

“Let’s go get her.”

The two stepped out of the plane, carefully letting their feet touch the foreign ground below them. Tony gave one last look at the two agents in the plane, then turned his attention towards the lush forest. Thor followed his gaze, squinting his eyes into the distance.

“She lies in there?” Thor asked, fingers gripping the disguised hammer tighter than before. Tony nodded, adjusting his glasses.

“She’s supposed to be.” Tony mumbled, beginning his walk towards the forest. Thor followed at his heels, eyes flickering around their surroundings constantly.

“How exactly do you know?” He asked as they entered the first layer of trees.

“Years of research, Point Break.” Tony shrugged, slipping in the nickname as if to ease the distinct tension floating between them. Thor ignored the tease, and rather favored for stepping directly next to his companion.

“How are we supposed to locate her? This forest is huge.” Thor stated, eyes sizing up the trees as if they were enemies. Tony paused. For once in his life, he was positively unsure.

“I don’t know how to find her, but I’m sure we’ll know when we have.”

 

**

 

Two hours seemed to pass before the surroundings began to change. The trees became less dense and the sun seemed to shine brighter. The sound of a running river echoed in the distance.

“The water. There’s a river. If someone’s living in a forest, they’ll be living near water.” Tony urged, picking up his pace and heading towards the river. Thor understood the urgency, keeping his pace with ease. Eventually, the two came across the beginning of a small, rolling river at the heart of the forest.

“There’s the water. Where’s the girl?” Thor asked, attempting look for the mysterious girl in the distance. 

“She’s got to be around here somewhere. Come on, let’s go down stream.” Tony suggested, already beginning his trek before finishing his sentence. The two continued to walk, easily forgetting their way back to the plane waiting for them. They were too deep in the forest to turn back. Thor decided it would be best if he stood back a few feet and kept an eye out for someone following them, and let Tony take the lead.

As the two approached the end of the river, Tony stopped. His eyes widened at the sight that stood before him.

“Found her.” Tony mumbled. Thor turned around, amazement lighting up in his eyes.

Before them stood a giant structure, almost as tall as the trees. It was a house. Yet, it was not constructed of stone or wood with painted decorations on the outside. It was made entirely of what seemed to be the Earth itself. The river they had followed snaked directly through it and out the other side.

“Tony this is incredible.” Thor said, chest heaving at the odd sight. Tony nodded and looked at the man standing next to him. 

“We should go inside, maybe she’ll be in there.”

“Maybe who will be in there?” 

Thor and Tony turned quickly, and there she stood. The girl from the stories Tony had researched so thoroughly.


	2. Burdened with Flames

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2!! I hope you guys are enjoying this story and any and all feedback is well appreciated <3
> 
>  
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 2547

She was scared, her eyes were lit with it. Literally. Her eyes were tinged red, almost glowing. She stood defensively, feet spread apart and her shoulders bared wide. Her lips were parted slightly and the wind blew her brown hair around her face. Her palm was open, and what lied within it took Tony’s breath away.

Her right hand was extended out to her side, elbow bent just so slightly. She stood as still as a marble statue. In the palm of her hand sat a bright orange flame. It flickered like her hair did with the push of the wind. She swallowed hard, eyeing the two strangers.

“Who are you?” She asked cautiously. Her voice was airy like the wind. Tony took a step towards her, causing her to take a step backwards.

“You must be the Phoenix.” Tony began. His words were a mistake.

“Do not call me that!” She growled, the flame in her hand growing larger. The fear in her eyes danced with anger. Natasha was right, this was dangerous. “Let me ask you once more, who are you?” She drew out her question, tongue swiping across her lip. Tony gripped the signaling device in his pocket, ready to send out a help call if she got any angrier. 

“I’m Tony Stark, this is my friend Thor.” Tony said cautiously. “We’re not here to hurt you so you can put the fire away.”

“He can’t speak?” she nodded towards Thor, who was still awestruck at the sight before him. His hands were practically strangling the umbrella. Tony looked at the god, who seemed more like a child in this moment.

“Yeah he can but he’s having some issues apparently.” Tony rolled his eyes and held his right hand out. “Please, miss, put the fire away. We’re not here to hurt you.” He repeated.

“The last person who said they wouldn’t hurt me turned out to be a liar, so my sincerest apologies for not running into your arms with trust.” She snapped, the flame that danced in her palm lowered its blaze slightly. 

Her statement earned a chuckle from Thor, who seemed to be pulled from his trance.

“That reminds me of something my brother would say.” Thor chuckled. Tony snapped his head towards him, indicating that what he said was not allowed.

“So you do speak.” She said, her eyes now trained on the god.

“I try to, but this guy talks so much I barely get a word in half the time.” Thor pointed at his companion, who simply rolled his eyes. This earned a slight smile from the girl standing across from them. Her shoulders began to relax, yet her eyes never left the two men. “If you would please let us speak to you inside. We want to help you.”

“Why?” She asked, the fire burned lower.

“Because we understand what it feels like to be you, right now. We know what is stuck inside of your mind. We can try to get them out.” Thor spoke softly. He began to close the space between himself and the girl. She swallowed, unsure of her next move. “We won’t call you that name, but please give us something to address you by.”

She dropped her hand as Thor stood just a few feet away from her. The fire turned to ash and fell towards the forest ground. Thor stared into her eyes as they adjusted back to their normal shade of green. She dropped her eyes, paused silently, then returned her gaze to his.

“Alice.” She whispered, looking into Thor’s blue eyes. There was something about them that she could trust. “My name is Alice.” 

Thor smiled, and held out his hand.

“This is apparently how Midgardians say hello, so, hello.” Thor smiled with joy. Alice’s lips curled upwards into a grin, she reached her hand out and shook Thor’s hand.

“Midgardian? Well I don’t know what that is but it must mean you’re not from around here.” Alice said, dropping her hand from Thor’s. For the first time since Thor took the lead, Tony spoke.

“Thor definitely isn’t from around here. And by here, I mean Earth.” Tony said, approaching Thor’s side with continuous caution. Alice’s eyes widened.

“So you’re like an alien?” She asked in disbelief. Thor looked down and shook his head.

“I don’t mean to brag but I am a god. God of thunder.” Thor shrugged, twirling his umbrella in his hand. The girl looked between the two of them, and even after looking closer into Tony’s weary eyes, she found that somewhere inside of him, was something she could trust. 

“Okay, I’ll talk to you guys.” She stated, gesturing her head towards the house. 

The three entered the house, filling Tony and Thor with awe yet again. Every structure was made of Earth. A few items stood out among the dirt, mainly for their typical civilized appearance.

“Where did you come across this place?” Thor questioned, his hand stroking the back of a makeshift couch. Alice crossed her arms behind her back and rolled on her heels.

“I made it.” She said softly, eyes darting to the ground. Thor looked up in surprise, mouth parted slightly.

“You made all this?”

“Well, most of it. Some of the things here I collected from regular towns. But the structure and most of the furnishing is my own. I passed out for a day straight after making it.” Alice said as she turned into the kitchen. “Could I get you two anything to drink? You must have been walking for hours.”

“Water’s fine, dear.” Tony said, taking a seat on the dirt couch.

“I’ll take a beer.” Thor stated casually, looking after the girl in the kitchen. She smiled and shook her head.

“I like you.” She laughed, pulling out two oddly shaped glasses full of scratches. “Sadly, beer is not a luxury I have here, so water will have to do for you.”

With a slight motion of her hand, the two glasses filled with water. Thor’s mouth dropped slightly as he tapped Tony on the shoulder.

“Did you see that?” Thor whispered. Tony nodded slightly. 

Alice returned to the men and placed the glasses before them. Thor eagerly took his glass and drank the entire cup, only to have Alice refill it with a flick of her hand again. Tony, on the other hand, seemed more focused on the mission. ‘Go in, persuade her to trust us, and get out.’

“Alice, was it?” Tony asked, followed by Alice nodding her head as she sat down. “Alice, we know what happened to you. I know, or thought I knew, what you’re capable of. I saw the footage, you’re magnificent.”

“Footage?” She asked, leaning back in her own makeshift chair. Tony nodded tightly.

“Yeah. What you did, there’s footage of it.” Tony stated grimly.

“How could there be footage? I thought I destroyed everything…” Alice trailed off.

“Recordings from your organization. They filmed everything and put it in their personal archives.” Tony explained. Alice looked at him with fear in her eyes.

“If it’s in the personal archives, how did you get it? I know how their facility works. It would be so heavily guarded you wouldn’t just be able to look it up and find it.” She hissed. 

“I know a lot of agents, Alice. A lot of really good spies that can trick even the most intelligent person.” Tony smirked. Alice sighed as she remembered the day as if it was yesterday. She let her gaze fall. She bit her lip as her mind ran through the painful memories. So much screaming.

“But we know it was not truly you who committed such acts.” Thor interrupted her thoughts. She looked back up. “We know that there were people invading your mind. We’ve seen it before.”

“He’s not lying. This thing has happened before and we’ve fixed it.” Tony added, his eyes pleading her to trust him. She remained silent.

“Alice, there are two,” Thor began until Tony shot him an angry look. Thor paused. “There is one person at our facility who has undergone mental manipulation like you. His name is Bucky Barnes. He was once a brainwashed killer until we were able to draw most of it out of him. Now, he’s just the regular man he used to be. If you come with us, then we may be able to distance you enough from them.”

Alice looked at Tony who had his lip worried between his teeth. Obviously Thor had mentioned something, or someone, that Tony did not want to be brought up. Suspicion lurked within her but she let them continue.

“What we’re trying to say is, we know they still live in your head. Quietly, they’re there. They may always be ready to flip the switch unless you come with us and let us free you from it.” Tony said, his anger seemingly forgotten.

“And then what?” Alice snapped. “You’ll throw me back into the forest? Try and integrate me back into a society that fears me? Or will you, too, try and turn me into a weapon?”

Tony paused, thinking of his next words carefully. Before he was able to speak, Thor took the mantle.

“Alice, Tony and I are part of a group called the Avengers. We save people. It’s becoming quite a large ensemble, but we believe that you would make an incredible addition. Your powers are unmatched, never to be seen of by anyone else.” Thor finished, eyes trained on the cautious girl. Alice shook, her body trembling with fear, confusion, and anger.

“So I was right? Clear my mind, try and save me, then turn me into a weapon. The answer is no.” She growled. Quickly she stood, pointing at the door. “You may go. I appreciate your effort but it won’t work. I’d rather live with someone in my head than harm another being.”

“But we don’t harm anyone.” Tony said. “We only help.” 

“How can you help people without harming what is coming for them?” She spat. “I’ve seen this all before.” She began to outstretch her hand, and her palm began to change shades.

“Alice.” Thor began. The trust that she had felt in him was beginning to vanish.

“No. Leave.” She growled, a small fire erupting from the center of her hand. Tony stood up quickly and crossed the room to her. 

“Fine. We’ll leave. But just know this,” He began. “The people who controlled you are controlling others just like you. Training them to do the same thing you did. I’m not trying to harm anyone who doesn’t deserve it. I would rather kill forty evil men than let them kill thousands of innocent people. If you can’t say you would do the same, then you’re a coward.”

Coward.

It stung. It stung because it was true. For years Alice had let fear control her every action. Fear of causing pain, and fear of being exposed to pain once more. With a sigh, she dropped her hands, extinguishing the fire. 

“You’re right. I am a coward.” She said quietly. “I’ve wanted to change that for years but my own cowardice stopped me from becoming, well, not a coward.”

She paused. Her mind was foggy but she still pulled herself through it.

“I’m in.” She whispered, looking at Tony. He smiled softly and nodded. Thor stood from his seat and drank the rest of the water, preparing himself for the journey back. 

“You made a good choice. Go get your things, we’ll bring you to your new home.” Thor smiled cheerily, throwing an arm around Tony. Alice smiled gently and brushed her hair behind her ear.

“I have no things here worth my trouble. Come.” She motioned to the door. The trio walked out into the forest. The sun was beginning to fade against the trees. 

Alice stopped and turned towards her makeshift home. She swallowed a lump in her throat, realizing she would be letting go of everything she had come to know.

She threw her arms up into the air, and with the force of a hurricane, she caused the Earth home to collapse the ground. Dust and dirt swirled around her, leaving all remnants of the house only existent to her memory. Alice turned, her breath heavier than before and saw the shock on Thor and Tony’s faces.

“I didn’t want anyone trying to find me.” She shrugged and walked up to them. “Where are we going?”

“I have a plane parked out on a field with a windmill in the middle of it. I think we came from…” Tony paused, realizing he had no idea where they were. Alice chuckled.

“I know where you’re talking about. There’s a windmill on only one edge of this forest. I’ll take us there.” Alice said as she began to walk. Yet, before she could make much distance, a large crack of thunder raged above her. She screamed, turning towards the men only to find Tony rolling his eyes and Thor suddenly wearing lengths of silver armor.

“Not from around here, right.” She mumbled, studying the supposed god. Thor’s umbrella was replaced with his hammer.

“If you just point to us which way it is, I can take us there in an instant.” Thor suggested as he began to swing the hammer in his hand. Alice pointed towards the north side of the forest. Thor reached his arm out, causing Tony to groan.

“I’m not cuddling into you, Point Break.” Tony grumbled. Thor shrugged.

“Fine, then you can walk back.” Thor chuckled. Tony sighed and walked into Thor’s open arm while keeping his eyes on Alice.

“Come on then, kid. Time to ride Thor’s magic hammer.” Tony joked. Alice squinted her eyes in confusion but walked towards the men. Thor’s arm was able to wrap around both Tony and herself. She was pressed tight to his body and Tony’s, causing her to blush slightly. It was the most intimate human contact she had had in a long time. 

Thor swung his hammer in short circles and without hesitation, he sent it, and the trio, flying forward. The wind curled around Alice’s face, kissing her cheeks briskly. It was a feeling she was familiar with from all her time alone in the forest. Within seconds, the three were on the ground in front of a small, black plane. Alice’s eyes widened at the realization of what was happening. 

She was truly putting all of her trust into strangers. She had only done this one other time, and it ended horribly for many, many people, herself included.

She swallowed the fear that begin to trickle up her skin and followed Thor and Tony into the plane. Inside the flying structure was a young boy, whose eyes were widened painfully. His lips were parted and a blush crept onto his cheeks. Alice smiled softly and waved at the young man, causing his cheeks to blush even further.

Next to the boy was a red-headed woman, who looked much more serious than the younger boy. She stood up and crossed the plane to Alice. She outstretched her hand and a grin plastered itself on her face.

“Hi, I’m Natasha.” The woman, Natasha, smiled. “Welcome to the Avengers.”


	3. The Golden Gateway

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our main character runs into something a little mysterious... 
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 1641

Alice sat quietly in her seat the entire way back to their destination. Thor had tried to converse with her, but her nerves kept her focused on just breathing. Whenever her fear began to take over, she began to lose control of who she was. She gripped onto the seats around her for stability. 

As the plane began to land, Alice felt her heart beginning to race. She was terrified, and her mind was fogging up faster than she could comprehend. In the back of her head, she heard the screams again, saw the flicker of cascading flames. Her heart began to race.

“Alice? Alice?” She snapped her head up to see Tony crouching next to her. He placed his hand on her knee and smiled. “You okay? We’re here.” 

Looking into Tony’s eyes, she was reminded of her father. His eyes were the same shade of warm brown. She bit her lip and nodded, placing her hand over his.

“I’m alright. Just a little scared.” She admitted.

“Well, we’ll take care of you. No need to worry.” Thor said from behind Tony, smiling his signature goofy smile. Alice looked up at him in amazement. He was always so happy, it seemed. She wished she could have an ounce of that. 

The hatch opened and everyone in the plane walked out onto the roof of a large, white building. From the roof, Alice could feel the energy swirling around them. She looked over the edge and saw cars arriving and leaving the building, agents running like soldiers, and occasionally, flashes of what seemed like magic. 

For a moment, Alice felt the world slow around her. Her mind wondered back to where she had grown up. The cars began to resemble doctors. The agents began to look like children. The flashes of magic radiated like electric surges. Alice felt her throat tighten. Would this new facility be all that different from the one she had grown up in?

Before Alice could delve deeper into her thoughts, she heard soft footsteps approach her. A small hand placed itself on her shoulder. 

“It’s a little much at first but you’ll grow to like it.” Natasha said from beside her. Alice shot her a smile. Natasha was nice, it seemed. A little stern and serious, but always had a playful smirk on her lips.

Alice turned towards Tony who was calling for her, and followed him into the building. The inside of the structure was bright with people walking in every direction. Tony stood firmly at Alice’s side, with Thor strongly at the other. The two began to show Alice around the facility.

The building was massive. Hallways began to blend together and Alice could hardly remember where anything was located. They had to have passed at least twelve kitchens at this point. Tony had mentioned that he had created this building, and it sincerely made Alice’s homemade structure back in the forest look like a run-down hut. 

As they passed, what Tony called, training rooms, meeting areas, and luxury facilities, the presence of armed guards became more and more present. At the entrance, only a few stood. Yet deeper into the facility, they crowded heavier.

With a pause, Tony turned the group down a hallway. Alice felt Thor stiffen at her side. The guards were everywhere, always on call. As the group walked down the long hallway, Alice heard what sounded like a beautiful, yet chilling laugh come from the door at the center of the hall, followed by what sounded like the fumbling of guns.

“What was that?” She asked, curiosity pulling her attention to the open door. Tony froze, staring at the door.

“Nothing, it was nothing.” He said in a hurry. He gave Thor a look who proceeded to smile at Alice and excuse himself. Tony quickly pulled her away and rushed her down the hallway. In the distance, she heard the door close. 

The entire walk around the rest of the facility, she heard the beautiful laugh ring in her ears. It was like a forbidden melody, and she wanted to hear the rest of it. Yet before she could imagine the person who lied behind the magical laughter, she was brought into a room full of people. 

Everyone in the room turned their attention towards Alice. She felt every pair of eyes staring at her with confusion, and it filled her with the beginnings of her fear.

“Everyone, this is Alice. She will be joining us here at Avengers headquarters.” Tony said, leading her into the room. A man walked up to Alice, much taller than Tony. He had blue eyes, like Thor’s and the lightest shade of blonde hair.

“Hi, Alice. I’m Steve, welcome.” He said warmly, pulling Alice into a strong hug. His muscles flexed against her, causing a blush to drone its way to her cheeks. When he pulled back, Alice looked down, hoping to hide the embarrassment. Steve simply chuckled and walked back towards the rest of the group, leading her into the introductory conversations.

Alice had come to learn that the rest of the people in the room were very much like her. She took a great liking to a young boy named Peter, who seemed so happy compared to everyone else.

“So you have like, magic powers?” He asked excitedly. Alice chuckled, shaking her head.

“I’m not sure if you could call it magic but it appears to act as such.” She said, unfolding her hands. She opened her hand, and let a small flame rise from its center. 

“That is so cool.” Peter gasped with wide eyes. “Is it just fire?”

“No, I can do it with all the elements, it seems.” Alice said, the fire in her palm suddenly turned into a small wind tornado, then to floating earth, and lastly to a giant drop of water. 

“How did you get these powers? They’re so cool.” Peter said as he watched the elements change in her hands. She shrugged, letting the drop of water turn to mist and float to the ground.

“I’m not sure. One day I just realized I had them.” Alice admitted. Peter hummed.

“I was bit by a spider.” He winked. Alice lifted an eyebrow.

“If spider bites caused magic powers then I’d basically be God at this point.” Alice smirked. “I lived in the forest for so long, waking up to spider bites became a daily routine.” 

Peter’s amazement was cut off by the door to the room sliding open and Thor entering. His face was grim as he walked over to Tony, pulling him from his conversation with Bruce. Alice stared at the two, trying to hear what they were saying, but it was futile. She dropped her head and looked back at Peter. 

“What’s wrong?” He asked, tilting his head to the side.

“Nothing, I just,” She paused, hesitant to tell Peter what she had heard. “Tony was walking me down one of the corridors and I heard the most beautiful voice. A man’s voice. He was laughing. Tony seemed terrified by it though.”

Peter froze, faking confusion.

“Oh, well I have no idea what that is. Anyway, Mr. Stark said I should probably be getting ready to head back to the city, I can only stay here on weekends since I’m still in school. It was nice to meet you though Miss Alice!” And with a jump, Peter was gone.

 

**

 

The next few weeks, Alice was trying to find her footing. Whenever she wanted to get to the kitchen, she had landed in a meeting room area. Whenever she wanted to find the training facilities, she’d end up in Vision’s room. It was a never ending cycle of unwanted discoveries. 

One night, Alice was attempting to locate the entrance to the building. She had been stuck inside for so long that she needed fresh air to help her breathe. Yet, she was lost again. 

“They should really put some signage in this place.” She grumbled to herself. Yet, as she turned the corner, she found herself in a familiar hallway. Guards lined the halls like statues, not flinching an inch as Alice began to pass by them.

Slowly, Alice paced down the hallway to find the large, golden door from a few days prior. The ringing laugh sang at the back of her head again. The stoic guards that lined the hallway, once frozen in their job now began looking at her as she passed. When she reached the door, a guard stopped her.

“Sorry ma’am, no entry allowed.” He stated. Alice rolled her eyes.

“I’m an Avenger now according to Tony, does that count for anything?” She said playfully, hoping to mask her nerves.

“Nope. Only a few people have access and you’re not one of them. Sorry.” He said blandly. Alice sighed and turned, only to find Thor standing behind her. He looked at her with seriousness swelling in his eyes.

“What are you doing here?” He asked.

“I got lost.” Alice confessed. “I was looking for a way out of here so I could get some fresh air.”

Thor crossed his arms and looked into her, as if he was trying to read her thoughts. She bit her lip and turned away.

“Okay, but don’t come back here. It’s not…safe.” He trailed off, reaching out to her. She took his arm and followed him. Yet as she was walking away, she heard the beautiful laughter once more. Thor’s grip tightened on her as he took her back to her room. 

“What’s down there? Who’s down there?” Alice pleaded once she was sat on her bed. Thor stayed quiet as he walked to the door. He turned slightly and looked at her with desperate eyes.

“There are some things safer left a secret, dear.”


	4. Purring Mischief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so the plot begins to roll!! Let me know how you guys are liking the story and if you have any suggestions or requests!! Thank you so much for reading <3
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 1591

Every night, Alice found herself wandering the hallways to try and hear the bell-like laughter again. Some nights, she succeeded. She would lurk around the corner and just sit there, listening. Other times, she was completely stranded in an unknown hallway.

During the days, Alice found herself itching for the sun to sink so everyone would leave her alone. The people were beautiful and nice, but sometimes she needed to escape to her solitary company. Just her and the laughter.

She had been sitting with Bucky for a few hours now. He was a wonderful man. He was clearly guarded by his own apprehensions but he was amiable. The two discussed what it was like to not be in control of their own minds. Bucky had been safe from his captors for a long time, yet Alice could still feel the pain that he had shielded away from her. 

She had been spending more and more time with Bucky. She had grown to crave his company. He was the only one who understood her. Alice felt complete comfort confiding in Bucky, and her other good friend, Thor. The two of them were like brothers to her. Whenever she needed someone, they were always there. It warmed her heart knowing she was beginning to fall into a family here.

Eventually, she had made Bucky laugh, which was a win considering his typically serious nature. During their time together, he always kept his focus on her, listened to her, and helped her clear her mind. The only time he was distracted was when Steve entered the room. Whenever Steve came in, it was like a weight lifted off of Bucky’s shoulders. The pain left his eyes and the only thing left was happiness, and what looked to be love. 

After their conversation had ended, Alice went to retreat back to her room. She would lounge there for a few hours before heading out to search for the singer of the laughing song. Yet, when she opened her room, she was not alone.

Thor sat on the bed, looking utterly defeated. Normally, Thor lounging in Alice’s room would not be unusual. The two had formed a special, trusting bond. However, Thor was always present with a smile and a listening ear to talk. This time, Alice could tell that something had disturbed the god, something that sent chills of worry down her spine. Alice had become so close with him that seeing any type of pain in him hurt her.

“Thor what happened? Are you okay?” She said, getting closer to him. She ran her hands through his hair gently, trying to calm him. Normally, he would just smile and lean into her touch. Now, however, he simply looked up at her and sighed.

“You really want to know what’s down there don’t you?” He mumbled. Alice froze, her hands stuck in his hair. He knows. 

“Well, I mean…”

“You wouldn’t sneak through the hallways every night if you didn’t.” He stated, winking at her. Alice nodded, detangling her fingers from his blonde hair. 

“I do.”

“Well, let’s go.”

“What?” Alice gasped. Thor stood up, towering over the girl.

“I know that every night after we say goodnight, you travel to that room. I know between your training you look at maps of the building in order to memorize a route to that hallway. Your curiosity will get you hurt if you go at this alone, therefore I am willing to accompany you there. This way if anything is to go…wrong, I can protect you.” Thor said, a quiet smile dancing on his lips. He was hesitant, Alice could tell. 

Alice froze. Looking towards the ground. A few burn marks stained the rug from where she had accidentally lit fires out of nerves. Nodding gently, Alice looked back up.

“Alright. Take me there then, my god.” 

 

**

 

Alice stood in front of the golden door, Thor standing to her right. The guards seemed weary, unsure of what to make of what was going to happen. 

“She’s with me.” Thor mumbled, reaching for the door. A guard placed his hand out carefully.

“Thor, I’m not sure Mr. Stark would approve.” The guard said. He eyed Alice, knowing she had tried to get in through the door before.

“It’s okay. I have access, and I’m granting her access too.” Thor said firmly. The guard stared at Thor, caution written all across his face. Thor pleaded the man with his eyes, who then eventually nodded and let Thor through. 

Thor pushed the door open and ahead of him lied a long set of steps. He ushered Alice into the room and had her follow him down the stair case. The room was dark, yet a faint gold glowed at the base of the steps. Alice felt the fear she had begun to learn to control, thanks to Bucky, spring into her again. She gripped onto Thor’s shoulder. He turned to her slowly.

“We can turn back.” He said with hope in his voice. Alice shook her head.

“No, come on.” She urged. Thor sighed and shook his head, continuing down the steps. Once they had reached the bottom, Alice swore she heard the purr of a cat come from across the room. 

Thor stepped forward and looked back at her, signaling for her to come. Alice nodded and walked with him towards a large cell, with a sheet of sheer gold…magic guarding whatever was inside. Standing behind Thor, her view was blocked. But then she heard it.

“Ah, brother, come to chat again?” A voice purred from inside the cell. Alice peered from around Thor, and that’s when she saw him.

A tall, beautiful man stood with his hands behind his back. Raven hair flowed down to his shoulders and around his pale face. A smirk danced on his lips while his eyes seemed to shoot daggers at Thor. He was terrifying, he was powerful, but he was beautiful.

Alice admired him quietly from behind her protector. His lean figure stood in the center of the cell like a statue. His arms crossed behind his long back. His jaw twitched slightly, showing the slick cut of his jawline and cheekbones. 

Suddenly, his eyes flickered over to her, and they softened for just a moment, yet returned back to their sharp state as quickly as it had left.

“Brought a new friend?” The man teased, smiling at her.

“Loki,” So that was his name. “I do not know what magic you’ve put on her but she continues to try and see you every night. Free her.”

This seemed to shock Loki. He stood there confused, eyeing Alice carefully. He began to speak, but his glistening eyes never left Alice’s face.

“I’ve never met this girl. I have no magic placed upon her. How could I if I don’t even know her face?” Loki purred, moving slightly as to get a better look at Alice. Her eyes fell to the ground. The next time he spoke, his voice was quieter, it was smooth. It was almost gentle. “Hello, darling. What is your name?”

Her mind flashed back to when Tony and Thor had found her. This man, Loki, was so soft when asking her who she was that it made her fear melt slightly.

“Alice.” She whispered, revealing herself more from around Thor. Loki paused and looked her up and down. His confusion was replaced with a smile. 

“How exciting. A new friend for me to play with.” Loki growled, returning his attention to Thor.

“She isn’t here as an agent to question you, she’s just here to meet you.” Thor said firmly. Loki cocked an eyebrow and chuckled. There was that laugh.

“We’ll see.” Loki shrugged. He turned around and walked to the back of his cell and sat on a chair in the middle of the wall. “That’s what everyone says to me,” Loki paused, leaning forward in his seat. “Then they walk in here one day, and the questions fly. The accusations attack me. They only feed me here so they can continue to find answers in me.”

“Loki.” Thor said firmly. His kind eyes focused on his locked up brother. “This is not the time for fierceness.”

Loki sat back, eyes still locked on Alice. He was curious as to why she was here. She was too young to be an agent, yet trusted enough to come down to see him. Had she really been so astounded by what she could not see? Loki chuckled to himself, noticing the blush that painted the girl’s cheeks. She was innocent, yet Loki could feel a side of her that she was keeping hidden from the people around her.

“It was lovely to meet you, Alice. I do hope we will become further acquainted with each other without my blubbering brother around.” Loki winked and licked his lips. He held his head higher as he watched Alice focus on the ground below her.

The way her name rolled off the tip of his tongue sent shivers down her spine. She blinked quickly and blushed, hoping the veil of magic between them would censor her redness.

“Same goes for you, Loki.” She said his name with caution, as if speaking the word would cast a spell over her, and he preened at the mention of it. 

With that, Thor took her hand and led her back up the stairs. As they walked the rest of the house, the only thing Alice managed to think of was locked away god.


	5. Truths and Lies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so excited to finally be uploading each part of this story!! Thank you to everyone who is reading and I hope you're enjoying it! Feel free to leave feedback as it would be much appreciated. 
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 1696

The next morning, Alice had been sitting in a common room with her hands wrapped around a hot mug of coffee. She had been looking out the window for quite some time, thinking about her encounter with Loki last night.

He was a terrifying man. He radiated confidence and anger, yet he was so dashingly beautiful. As she had looked into his eyes, she sensed that he was a complex character. She felt so many things radiate from him: confusion, excitement, and at times, pain. Her fingers droned against the sides of her mug as she lost herself in thought.

“Enjoy your visit?” Thor said as he walked into the room, pulling Alice from her thoughts. She smiled at him as she took a sip of her beverage.

“It was splendid. Not what I was expecting, but, quite interesting.” She admitted, looking down at the hardwood table. Thor paused, reaching his hand out and wrapping it around Alice’s. 

“I apologize for my brother.” Thor said quietly, his blue eyes full of sadness. “He can be quite the handful. I love him so dearly but he has put himself in his prison. I cannot control how he acts.”

“What did he do to end up there?” She asked, tightening her grip on her best friend’s hand. Thor looked into her eyes with confusion. 

“You do not know?” He questioned. Alice shook her head.

“I’ve lived in solitude in the forest for years. I can promise you I’m not too caught up on current events.” She chuckled, slight sadness piercing through the laughter. Thor frowned, looking out the window.

“Loki has done some things in his past that caused the people of Earth and the people of Asgard to lose trust in him. They fear him and our father has required him to live out his punishment on Earth. I am here to watch over him with the rest of the Avengers.” Thor said slowly, picking out his words carefully. He knew that Alice had lived in fear for so long, and she was finally beginning to feel security in her new home. He didn’t want this place, too, to turn into a place of fear for her due to Loki’s presence.

“Thor, what exactly did he do?” Alice asked, her heart racing slightly. 

“My brother…he attempted to take control of Earth. He summoned an alien army and tried to claim the planet as his. He has told me that his mind was being persuaded by another being but Tony does not believe such a thing. I’m not even sure if this is true.” Thor paused, attempting to read Alice’s emotions. She sat with her mug in hand, staring into the drink.

“Why do you not believe him?” She asked quietly. Thor tilted his head in thought.

“Loki is the God of Mischief. It’s in his nature to fool others and lie to them. He has a silver tongue; he is a king of persuasion. Telling the truth is not exactly something my brother is fond of.” Thor chuckled softly, thinking back to all the tricks Loki had played on him as a child. They all seemed so innocent now.

“But why would he have reason to lie about this?” Alice asked. Something in her was empathizing with Loki. She knew what it was like to have someone in her mind. 

“I- I don’t know.” Thor admitted. “I want to trust my brother. It’s just hard to after everything he has done.”

Alice tightened her grip on his hand. She slid her seat over so she was closer to her friend. She offered him a gentle smile.

“Try.” She whispered, giving his hand a squeeze. She pushed out her chair and downed the rest of her now-cool-coffee. “I am going to train for a bit. I heard Tony wants me to show off my powers to the rest of the team sometime this week. I should prepare for that.” Alice smiled.

Thor nodded, chuckling softly. She had warmed up to everyone so quickly it was hard to believe this was the same girl he met in the forest.

“I trust that you will impress everyone that attends.”

“I hope.”

 

**

 

Training was something that Alice found peace in. For once, she was beginning to use her powers in the way that she had wanted to. Occasionally, she had felt panic surge through her. Fear pricked at her nerves, causing her to question if she was good enough, or rather, if she was too good. She knew what she was capable of, she had seen it all before. Using her powers so intensely scared Alice into sometimes believing that she was resort back to her old ways. Despite knowing that it was not her controlling her mind when the tragedy happened, it was still caused by her hand. Alice tried to force these thoughts to the back of her mind, yet every time she hurled a ball of fire towards a target, the anxiety brushed over her again.

After her long day of training, Alice had decided she wanted to pay a visit to Loki. In truth, she had feared going down to the cells alone, but she craved to see him again. His eyes haunted her and his voice traveled throughout her mind constantly. 

Despite taking almost an hour to reach Loki’s hallway, Alice had finally found her way in front of the door. The same guard that denied her access the night prior was standing guard now. He looked at her and shook his head with a sigh, unlocking the golden door. Alice nodded at him in thanks and walked down the steps.

“A bit early for my night meal, is it not?” Loki growled as he lay in his bed. Alice chuckled.

“My apologies, I didn’t bring food.” She smiled. Loki sat up, his green robes falling beside him. He looked to her in confusion, his eyebrows knit together. Moments later, though, his mouth crept into a smug smile.

“Oh? Back so soon, are you?” He purred, standing from his bed. He ran a hand threw his black hair as he walked towards the front of the cell. Alice stepped closer to the magic glass, eyeing him carefully.

“I was bored.” She lied, biting her tongue.

“Lies.” Loki rolled his eyes with a flick of his wrist. “Never the less, welcome to my humble abode.” 

“It’s lovely.” Alice said, admiring the four pieces of furniture in the cell.

“Come closer, girl, do you fear me?” Loki questioned, standing as he did when Alice first met him last night.

Truthfully, Alice did fear him. He radiated a power that scared her. He had reminded her vaguely of the men that had taken control of her before. Yet, she could feel a softness in Loki as well. A type of sensation radiated from him that wanted Alice to keep coming closer. 

“I don’t fear you.” She whispered, her voice cracking.

“Lies.” Loki growled, his eyes squinting slightly. 

‘Stay calm and just latch yourself onto something that relaxes you. It’s how I keep the fear out.’ Bucky’s words ran through her mind. Alice looked down for a moment, latching her mind onto memories of her as a child.

“Why would I lie to you?” Alice said slowly, looking back up at the god.

“Everyone lies to me.” Loki tilted his head up, looking at Alice like she was his prey.

“I’m not afraid of you, Loki.”

“Lies.”

She heard Bucky's voice whispering softly to her, 'Deep breathes help too, hun.' 

“I’m not lying.”

“LIES.” Loki yelled, his fist slamming against the golden glass. Alice flinched, stepping backwards. Her heart began to race. “All you humans do is lie. They call me the god of lies but maybe it’s all of you. You say one thing and yet you never follow through. You should fear me. You should fear what I can do to you. I could kill you with a flick of my wrist. Fear that, mortal.” Loki spat.

Alice gasped at his outbreak, and before she knew it, a fire lit in the palm of her hand. The glow of the flame lit the edges of her face, showcasing the fear in her eyes, which burned a golden-red hue. The flame casted dark shadows on Loki’s face, deepening the dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep. Loki’s lips curled up into a wicked grin.

“Oh? What’s this?” Loki taunted, looking at the flame in Alice’s hand. “You have some sort of power. How cute.” Loki tilted his head, eyes still trained on the fire in Alice’s hand.

“Don’t taunt me.” Alice mumbled, letting the fire in her hand disappear. The ash collapsed onto the ground. Loki’s eyes slowly moved back to look into Alice’s, which faded back to their soft green shade.

“My apologies, pet. At least you are a more…talented mortal than the others.” Loki stepped back, a smirk on his face.

‘Pet.’ Alice blushed.

“Loki, do not take your anger out on me. I’m not the one to be angered with. I’ve done nothing to you but attempt to converse with you. If that’s so wicked, then I’ll leave you to your loneliness again.” Alice said softly. Loki stopped his slight pace. She had a point.

“I agree. My apologies. It seems I’ve startled you for no reason. May we start this over?” Loki asked, his voice softer now. The anger in his eyes had left in place of sadness, and a slight bit of hope. “I am Loki. Prince of Asgard. God of mischief. Captive of the almighty Avengers.” 

“My name’s Alice. As you can see my hands make fire…and other elements. Master of living in solitude.” Alice said.

“Living in solitude? Seems we have something in common here.” Loki smirked, rolling his eyes playfully. “It’s lovely to meet you, Alice.”

“Lovely to meet you too, Loki.” Alice blushed, looking into the god’s green eyes. They were soft now, and she was so entranced in them. Loki’s smile was genuine now, no hint of mischief or anger in it. It was the first time she had seen him truly smile out of happiness.

Truthfully, she could get used to seeing it.


	6. Forbidden Fruit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit short but it was also one of my favorites to write (Bucky is just so soft I love him so much). Enjoy!!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 1235

“What were you thinking?!” Tony exclaimed.

Alice and Bucky had been sitting side by side in one of the common rooms, having one of their usual discussions when Tony had come bursting in. His face was full of anger and frustration.

“I beg your pardon?” Alice said, turning away from Bucky who shared an equally as confused face as she did.

“You went down to see him?” Tony spat the word. Alice raised her eyebrows slightly. Oh, yeah, him. Bucky looked at her, still confused as to the situation.

“Yes, I did.” She said softly, fingers curling around the sleeves of her sweatshirt. Tony sighed, running his fingers through his dark hair. Alice could practically see the tiny strands turning gray.

“Why? No, a better question. How?” Tony asked, crossing the room to stand in front of Alice. She looked up at him, attempting to relax herself.

“Thor granted me access.” Alice answered, glancing over at Bucky who still was trying to assess what was happening.

“If you don’t mind me interjecting, what exactly are we talking about here?” Bucky asked, turning towards Tony. He leaned forward on his knees, resting his head against his hands. Tony sighed and began to pace back and forth.

“This one, over here, decided to go visit our good friend Loki downstairs, without my permission.” Tony practically growled. Bucky’s eyes widened and his mouth parted slightly. He turned towards Alice who was just staring at the ground. He felt the nerves surge in her.

“Why did you do it?” Bucky mumbled softly, placing one of his hands on Alice’s thigh. 

“Yeah, Charizard, why?” Tony groaned. His anger was not hidden well in his teasing nickname.

“Tony. I don’t think yelling is going to help anyone.” Bucky said softly, keeping his eyes trained on the nervous girl next to him. 

“Fine. No yelling. Got it. I need a drink” Tony grumbled, quickly fetching himself some whiskey from the bar at the other end of the room. When he returned, he sat across from Alice and Bucky. After a few minutes of silence, he spoke up. “Why did you go down there, Alice? You should be focusing on your training; you know that your showcase to the other Avengers is coming up. You decided to put conjugal visits to Dracula first over your own future?”

Alice sat quietly, she felt the oncoming fire burn her palms. She took deep breaths, focusing on the gentle caress of Bucky’s hand. He understood what was happening. He knew her fear of being cast out again. After a few deep breaths, and precisely ignoring Tony’s latter comment, Alice spoke softly.

“The first day I arrived, you had walked me down a long corridor where Loki’s room was. I had heard him laugh downstairs and it struck me with curiosity. A few nights later, I had accidentally stumbled across the room again and I found myself growing more and more curious with it. Eventually, Thor found me trying to get into the room and he gave in, letting me visit Loki with him. He then gave me access in and out of the room when I pleased. I only went down to converse with Loki. After meeting him he just seemed so lonely. I know what it’s like being alone, Tony, I didn’t want him to suffer that as well.” Alice finished. She locked eyes with Tony who just sat there in thought.

“Why did Thor trust you with going down there? Is he trying to use you to break Loki out?” Tony asked, twirling his drink in his glass. Alice chuckled and looked down.

“I would never do such a thing. Thor and I are close friends. He was the first person I trusted out of everyone and has always been there for me.” Alice said. Tony rolled his eyes.

“Good to know you trusted him before me out in the forest.” He mumbled. Alice felt Bucky chuckle beside her.

“It’s hard to not trust Thor. I mean look at him. He’s a walking ball of sunshine.” Bucky smirked, patting Alice on the leg. 

“Okay, but are you aware of the things Loki has done? The things he made me do? He isn’t a good man, Alice, there’s a reason he’s behind bars.” Tony said, trying desperately to get her to see his side. Alice nodded slowly, biting her lip.

“And are you aware of the things I’ve done? The things Bucky has done?” She challenged. She felt her friend stiffen beside her.

“Well yes, but that’s different.” Tony challenged back, sipping on his almost-finished drink.

“How so?” Alice asked.

“You two were under the control of someone else. It wasn’t your choice.” Tony said firmly.

“Well what if it’s the same for Loki?” Alice stated, eyes completely locked with Tony’s.

“Are you trying to suggest that Loki wasn’t really behind what happened in New York?” Tony spat. 

“Maybe. Thor told me that Loki said it wasn’t truly him. Why should we not believe…”

“Because he’s a liar, Alice! He’ll do anything to persuade his way out of that cell but it won’t happen. Not as long as I’m here. He’s never once shown remorse for what he’s done. It was him and I refuse to believe otherwise.” Tony shouted, standing from his seat. “I would advise you to be careful, Alice. He’s taken control of the minds of some of my best men. He’d very easily do the same to you, and you of all people know how painful it is.”

Tony left the room, leaving Alice and Bucky behind. Alice felt the tears swelling in her eyes. She had only wanted to help Loki, to get to know him. Bucky moved his hand from her leg to her back and began rubbing it in around in small circles.

“What did you mean when you said it wasn’t him?” He muttered, his hand not ceasing its motions.

“Thor said that Loki told him someone was forcing him to do what he did in New York. He had said that another being was controlling his mind.” Alice said, looking at Bucky. “Join the club.” She joked. Bucky laughed, shaking his head.

“Did he try to hurt you?” Bucky asked. Alice shook her head and pursed her lips.

“He got a bit angry when I first talked to him, but after that he was nothing but pleasant. We talked all night. He’s…different than what I imagined.” She said thoughtfully, remembering the events of the night before. It was like a dream.

“Just be careful.” Bucky warned. “I know he may seem like Prince Charming now but things could change. He’s a tricky guy. Maybe try and have him explain to you what happened with New York. Then you could see for yourself if you think he’s lying.” 

Alice nodded. She had been eager to see Loki again, yet she didn’t want to press into him too hard about such sensitive topics. She wanted him to trust her first.

“Alright, I will.” She nodded, slowly getting up. Bucky took her wrist before she could walk away though.

“For a girl who took so long to trust the heroes, she sure is giving in easily for the villain.” Bucky smirked, his baseball cap casting a shadow over his eyes. Alice just smiled softly.

“That would imply that he’s the villain.” She winked, and walked out of the room.


	7. Eyes Full of Pain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I only began posting this fic like 3 days ago and people are already starting to like it!! That's crazy omg. Thank you guys so much for reading, feedback is always well appreciated, and I hope you enjoy this next chapter!!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 2759

After Alice had finished her nightly meal with the rest of the Avengers, she found herself wandering towards Loki’s hallway. The guards eyed her, suspicious that she had come to the same door for three days in a row. Never the less, they let her through.

When she arrived at the bottom of the stairs, she found Loki sitting at a desk in his cell, his hand scribbling something against a piece of paper. He didn’t seem to notice her presence, and continued writing. Alice looked at him, so peaceful and gentle in his cell. She could hear him humming to himself, it was a tune that sounded familiar to her. 

Alice examined Loki’s face. His once clenched jaw was now slack and soft. His eyes were filled with something like love as he wrote, the hardness from the day earlier was gone. His hands were meant to hold a pen, not a sword. If it wasn’t for his Asgardian robes, he could look as if he was any normal man. As she looked at him, she found it hard to believe that this was a person who was once a power-hungry villain that tried to take over the world.

Alice took another step forward, disrupting Loki from his writing. He turned his head and locked eyes with her. A smile crept onto his face as he turned in his seat.

“Back so soon, are you?” He purred, leaning forward.

“Will you say that every time I come to see you?” Alice raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms across her chest. Loki shrugged.

“Considering no one has ever visited it me three days in a row before, I may just need to.” Loki winked, which sent chills down Alice’s spine. She blushed and looked away.

“Writing to a lover?” She questioned, pointing her chin towards the desk. Loki looked down at the paper and smirked.

“Of course not. Women are not too fond of murderers.” He growled, standing from his seat.

“Then what is it?” Alice asked, for some reason feeling slightly relieved there wasn’t a beautiful Asgardian mistress on the receiving end of his letter. Loki paused, a softness filled his face for a moment before it hardened again.

“Just death threats for Stark. I send them up into his post every night.” Loki smirked, mischief gleaming in his eyes. Alice sighed and shook her head. Something in her told her that he was lying.

“God of mischief. Right.” She chuckled, stepping closer to the magic glass. Loki looked down at her, and for some reason, he wished to reach out and just touch her. “How long have you been here?”

“I lost track after three days.” Loki admitted with a quick laugh. Alice raised an eyebrow. “I get bored easily. Midgard is so dull.” 

“Midgard? Excuse you, mister, but Earth is quite exciting.” Alice teased with a roll of her eyes.

“Oh yes? How so, fire bender?” Loki smirked.

“Not just fire. Earth, air, and water as well but anyway, Earth is much fun. It’s full of lovely cities and landscapes. Sights that even a mischievous god might find fascinating.” Alice smirked back, trying to hide her nerves through any ounce of confidence she could muster.

“Oh really? I’ve been locked here for quite some time; how do I know you’re not just lying to me?” Loki said playfully, leaning towards the shimmering barrier between them.

“You’ll just have to trust me. Maybe I could show you one day. I’m not too familiar with it all myself but I think I’d be a decent tour guide for you, your majesty.” Alice laughed. Loki paused, admiring the laughter of the girl before him. She was unlike any mortal he had ever met. She was unlike any Asgardian he had ever met. She was so calm around him, so easy to converse with. 

“If I am to be released one day, maybe I could take you up on that offer.” Loki smiled, his voice gentle. Alice frowned.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…”

“No apologies needed, pet. I’m a merciful god, no beheadings for your misdoings…today.” Loki joked. Alice groaned and rolled her eyes. He was indeed a trickster. “Yesterday you had mentioned that you were the, so called, master of solitude. What did you mean by this?”

Alice blinked, taken aback by the question. Did she want to reveal her darkest self to Loki when she had only truly spoken to him for so little time? She pursed her lips in thought.

“I have done some…questionable things in my past. Out of fear, I decided living in solitude would be best for me, as to not hurt anyone else.” Alice said carefully, trying not to reveal the entire story. Loki squinted his eyes and bit his lip.

“Hurt anyone else?” He questioned, pulling a chair up to the front of the cell and sitting.

“Yeah, it’s a long story. Not one for tonight.” Alice smiled with embarrassment. Loki shook his head, causing his raven hair to brush his cheeks slightly.

“I have all the time in the world, darling.” He said softly as he leaned forward. Alice blushed. She noticed a chair sat by the wall. She pulled it over and sat down.

“What’s your favorite color?” She asked, trying to change the subject. Loki looked taken back.

“My favorite color? Why do you ask?” 

“I want to know.” Alice said truthfully. Loki paused, looking away in confusion. No one had ever asked him such a simple question before.

“Green. Emerald green. All of my robes and attire are that color.” Loki mumbled. 

“Green is my favorite color too. Forest green. The color of evergreen trees after it has just rained. Its lovely.” Alice said, her lips turning up in a smile. Loki admired her through the barrier. 

The rest of the night continued as this. They asked each other simple questions. Loki pretended as if he was annoyed by her silly, mortal questioning. Yet, something inside of him appreciated her genuine curiosity. She listened to him, she asked him to explain things. She never took her eyes off of him. Loki would never directly admit it to her, yet he was happy he had someone to talk to.

Alice just wanted to get to know him. He was fierce and defensive, but also soft and gentle. She knew that if she could only break down his walls, she could see who he really was, and possibly, show everyone the man behind the mask. 

 

**

 

The pair continued like this for the next few days. Every night, Alice would finish her meal and retreat down to the cells to visit Loki. There, she would stay for hours. She would try to educate him on the Earthly pop-culture things she could recall from when she was a child and what she was learning was occurring now, and he attempted to school her in Asgardian history. They barely understood a word of what the other was talking about, yet they pretended they did. They would do anything to keep the other talking about what made them happy. Neither would ever admit it though.

After six days of this, Alice was caught by Steve and Thor during one of her training sessions. She had just lit a punching bag on fire before they had walked in. Steve stood in the doorway, amazed by the flaming bag, and directed his attention towards Alice.

“Neat trick.” Steve chuckled. Alice turned towards him. Her hair was tied back in a high pony-tail with a few strands dangling in her face. She wiped a drop of sweat from her forehead and walked towards her bottle of water.

“Thank you, I’ve been practicing.” She admitted. It was true. She wanted to show everyone that she was as strong as them. She felt doubt from both herself and other swell around her. Alice had never wanted to show off her powers to anyone, truthfully. She had feared what she could do may harm them. She also feared that her mind may revert back to what it once was.

“That’s good, because it’s your time to shine.” Steve smiled. Thor nodded beside him, winking. 

“Are you ready to light this place on fire for everyone?” Thor laughed, placing a hand on Alice’s shoulder. She swallowed a lump in her throat. She had forgotten that today was the day she’d be showing everyone her powers. 

“Oh, right. That’s today, isn’t it?” Alice questioned, looking between the blonde pair. Steve nodded, excitement clear on his face.

“I haven’t gotten to see much of what you can do, but Tony says its spectacular.” Steve smiled softly, he walked over to her, leaving Thor to poke at the charred punching bags with curiosity. “How have you been? Bucky told me you’ve been feeling some more anxiety recently.”

Alice just looked at the soldier with a gentle blush on her face. Damn Bucky for never being able to keep his mouth shut around Steve.

“Well, it’s really not bad. I just get nervous sometimes that…that my mind might revert back to what it was before when I use my powers. The last time I used them so strongly was when I, when I just…” 

“Hey, it’s okay I get it. Remember, I went through all this with Buck.” Steve offered a warm smile, wrapping an arm around Alice’s shoulders. She leaned into his embrace, finding comfort in his hug. Steve leaned in, whispering words of caution while looking at Thor’s distracted figure. “Be careful around Loki. He’s dangerous.”

Alice froze. How the hell did Steve know about…

Bucky.

“I know. He just needs a friend. That’s all I am trying to be.” Alice admitted. It wasn’t a lie.

“I just don’t want you getting hurt. You really should have someone go with you when you see him, in case he tries anything.” Steve looked at her with complete concern in his eyes. Alice smiled softly, placing a hand on his.

“Loki wouldn’t hurt me. Even if he wanted to, he’s surrounded by that force field glass. And if somehow he got out of it, I would just light a flame under his ass.” Alice smirked, igniting a tiny fire from her fingertips. Steve let out a laugh and squeezed her. 

Thor walked over to the pair, smiling down at Alice. He had no idea what they were just talking about, and Alice feared that if he did know, he would also begin to reprimand her.

“Are you ready there, fire bender?” Thor asked, his eyes lit with excitement. 

“Not just fire, Thor. Don’t forget the water, air, and earth.” Alice teased, poking the god in his chest. “Why does everyone seem to forget about those last three things?”

“Too many words. Never the less, they are all valuable tools that you will show us how you use. Come, I’m sure everyone is eager to see your hands at work.” Thor grinned, turning towards the door. Steve unwrapped his arm from Alice’s shoulder and gestured for her to follow.

As the trio left towards the showcase room, Alice felt her mind trained on Loki. All she could do was think about him and how he listened so deeply to her. He had no idea about what she had done in her past, and she found comfort in it. He wouldn’t look at her with disgust or pity, rather, he looked at her with curiosity. Everyone had said that he was malicious and dangerous, yet he was nothing but kind to her. 

Furthermore, Alice had felt the strongest need to listen to him. She felt his loneliness through the magical glass and she longed to just touch his shoulder and reassure him that she was there to listen. As the group walked down the winding halls of Stark Tower, Alice lost herself in memories of Loki…

 

“Do you miss it? Home?” Alice asked, her back leaning against the glass. Loki looked over to her, mirrored in the same position on the other side of the barrier.

“Asgard is not my home.” Loki sighed, running a hand through his raven hair. Alice raised an eyebrow. 

“But it was where you were born and raised, was it not?” She questioned, looking deeper into him. His green eyes locked with hers, something within them begged for her to not ask her questions.

“You really know nothing of me, do you, girl? I was not born there.” Loki pressed his lips into a thin line and turned away from Alice. “I was raised on Asgard but it is no home to me. I was cast out by those who I thought loved me, cast out by those when I needed them most.” 

Alice expected Loki to begin getting angry. She anticipated seeing the fury in his eyes. Yet, when he turned his head to look at her, there was only sadness. Alice couldn’t tell if Loki’s eyes were full of tears or if it was just the shimmering light from the glass between them. She wanted nothing more than to reach out for him.

“What happened, Loki?” She said softly, her body now turned fully towards the god. He sighed and bit his lip, staring down at the cell floor.

“I was promised a throne my entire life. Yet when the time came, I was refused. Thor was chosen, and being the elder of us I almost understood it. But I was more fit for it. He was an angry, selfish man…at the time. I had intelligence that he could not imagine.” A smirk played itself onto Loki’s lips. Within a second, it was gone though. “When I found out who I really was, it broke me, Alice. Odin had told me stories of the Frost Giants and how monstrous they were, and it turned out that I…I am one of them.”

Alice stared at him, her hands pressed to the glass. She was sure that it was not an illusion of the glass casting the image of tears in Loki’s eyes now.

“He never told me the truth. He led me to believe that I was Asgardian royalty, ready for the throne. It turns out I was just another stolen relic to add to his collection, saving me for when he needed a weapon, a political advantage, or even a filthy sacrifice. I did my best to show him who I was, what I was capable of and how I deserved the things he once promised me. But my attempts were futile. I did everything I did out of anger and I regret it all, every life I took and every action I made. I was only trying to fulfill the promise that was made to me for a thousand years.” Loki finished, his eyes looking off in the distance. And that’s when Alice realized he confessed.

‘I regret it all.’

“I’m sorry.” She whispered. ‘I wish I could hold you’, she thought. “You deserve much better than this.” 

Loki looked at her, the tears still lingering in his eyes. He chuckled softly. When he looked her, the only thing he saw was genuine concern. Something raced through his chest and pulsed in his veins. This woman did not want to tear stories from him or gain secretive information. She just wanted to listen. She wanted to help him. She wanted to be a friend.

As he stared into her eyes, he wanted just the same.

 

Alice tore herself from her thoughts as the group approached the end of a brightly lit hallway. Security was buzzing around like angry bees as a few Avengers entered a silver door to the left of the hallway. Within all the chaos, Alice had, ironically, found comfort in the thought of the god of chaos himself. 

It was then that Alice promised herself silently that she would never let a day pass where she didn’t look into Loki’s eyes, for she knew the pain that lived within them. She never wanted him to feel that pain again. She wanted him to trust her. He was beginning to open up to her, slowly, but it was better than what anyone here had seen of him.

Loki had been alone for so long. Alice knew that it was dangerous to get so close to the god of mischief, but she never wanted anyone to feel the type of isolation that she had.. She knew her position among the team may be put at risk if she got too close. 

For some reason, she didn’t care.


	8. Elemental Testing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo you might have saw that I updated this earlier today but there was no new chapter. I realized in chapter one that one of the lines in the beginning just like...wasn't there. So I needed to fix that. Anyway!! New chapter!! Enjoy!!
> 
> P.s. the physics of this chapter are like impossible. It makes no sense. But does anything really make sense in the mcu? Nah, so, just ignore how impractical Alice's powers work here and just picture how cool it would be instead 
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 1954

As Steve, Thor, and Alice made their way down the bright hallway, Tony emerged from a door to their left. He was decorated in a black suit with an eager smile plastered on his face.

“There she is, the star of the show!” Tony cheered. Alice felt a blush rise to her face. She shook her head slightly as she stepped in front of him.

“Here I am.” She sing-sang quietly, rubbing her hands together. Tony looked up at Thor and Steve, giving them a nod. The two men nodded back, patted Alice on her shoulders, and headed into the silver door that Tony had come from. 

“Nervous, I see.” Tony said softly, looking down at the younger girl. Her eyes swam with nerves, and underneath the fluorescent lights, she looked like a child. 

“When am I not?” She muttered, biting her pink lip. Tony chuckled and shook his head away from her.

“It’s going to be okay, we’re all here rooting for you. I even made sure a special friend of yours came.” For a second, Alice’s heart skipped a beat. He couldn’t have meant Loki, could he? “I brought Peter all the way here, and it is a school night for him so it’s quite the treat for both of you.”

Alice’s cheeks heated at her excitement to see Loki. Of course Tony would never release Loki from his cell. Alice’s heart sunk slightly, realizing that it was the truth. Tony would never release Loki from his cell. What chance could their friendship have to grow if it was bound to behind glass? Nevertheless, Alice was truly excited to see Peter, who she had grown so fond of again.

“That’s quite kind of you, Tony. I hope I don’t let them down.” Alice sighed as Tony wrapped a comforting arm around her. He was beginning to feel more and more like a father every day. He began to lead her towards a metal door to their left. Tony guided her through short hallways, making sure to reassure her every step of the way.

“You better not let me down. How you perform depends on if you’ll become an Avenger or not.” Tony shrugged. Alice’s eyes popped out wide.

“I thought you said I already was an Avenger?” She gasped. Tony smirked.

“Not really. I told you that as a confidence booster. Sorry, my fault.” Tony admitted with his hands in the air. “You were always part of the team, but this…this is your formal audition, to put it in better terms.” 

“I hope I don’t disappoint.” Alice muttered under her breath, turning her head away from the older man.

“I know you’re afraid to use your powers fully. I understand your fear. You need to understand something though.” Tony paused, turning Alice to look at him. “We won’t hurt you. We won’t let you go back to that place your mind was in before. In this tower, you’re safe. I swear on my life. And if anyone tries to lay a finger on you, you have all of the Avengers there to protect you. I will die before I let anyone hurt you like they did before.”

Alice’s lips parted at Tony’s words. Tears welled in her eyes and before she could help it, she threw herself into Tony’s arms. She let her tears fall against his expensive suit while he patted her back softly. Even though he had fed her a simple lie before, his words comforted her. They reassured her that no matter what happened, she was safe here.

“Thank you, Tony, but why?” Alice whispered, not letting go of the older man. She felt his chest take in a deep breath.

“When I look at you, I see a broken kid. You hid yourself away from everyone out of fear. You were alone for so long. After you got on that jet with us, I knew that it was our job to help you grow into who you truly are, and to let the fear that controlled you fade away. You’ve become like a daughter to me.” Tony said, truth leaking through his words. Tony could be egotistical and sarcastic, but he truly cared. He only wanted the best for Alice. 

Seeing her as a daughter must have been the reason Tony was so harsh to Alice when it came to seeing Loki. He swore to protect her above everything, and he knew that Loki was dangerous. Tony knew what Loki was capable of and he couldn’t live with himself if he had let Loki hurt her in any way. Something within Alice stirred. She had not only found a team, but a family.

“We’re here.” Tony smiled, gesturing towards a large, metal sliding door. Tony input a code into the keypad on the wall and allowed the doors to slide open. Alice walked in before Tony, and her eyes were almost blinded by an incredibly bright room.

The room was large with white walls and floors. The ceiling was lined with bright white lights, as well. Punching bags, sport dummies, and several other training mechanisms were scattered around the room. Alice had become familiar with all of them from her weeks of daily, private training. 

Alice turned and saw a large viewing window. Beyond the glass were all of the Avengers. They chatted amongst themselves while their eyes flickered back and forth from their conversation partner to the girl on show. Peter was pressed against the glass, waving frantically at his friend in the training room. Alice chuckled and waved back. 

Tony stepped into the center of the room and cleared his throat. Suddenly, his voice was like a booming echo. All of the heroes turned their attention towards Tony.

“Welcome, ladies! As you obviously know, because you’re here, we’re here to see what our new friend Alice is capable of.” Tony gestured towards Alice who gave a shy wave. Even though she knew all of these people and had formed friendships with all of them, she suddenly felt like this was her first time ever seeing them.

“It took me, what felt like forever, to find Alice. I knew from the moment I heard of her that she was truly incredible. She’s been a bit scared to show us what she can do, but I think today she’s ready.” Tony turned towards her. “Are you?” 

Alice smiled, tucking a loose hair that sprung from her pony tail back behind her ear. She nodded slightly.

“Well, I guess we’re ready then. Alice, when I get up to that window and give you a thumbs up, feel free to just go wild.” Tony winked and exited the room. 

Within the brightness, Alice was completely alone. She wondered if this is what Loki felt like. Alone, behind glass, with eyes watching your every move. Suddenly, she felt self-conscious. She longed to just turn and run towards the cell of her friend, and pour her heart out about something illogical. He was like an anchor. He listened, and it seemed as though he cared.

Alice saw Tony appear behind the glass above her. Behind his figure, she saw Bucky sitting next to Steve, their shoulders pressed against each other’s firmly. Bucky gave her a warm smile, nodding to her. He knew that she was scared, but he could also feel her confidence beginning to rise. After Tony gave the thumbs up and Alice flashed a warm smile back to Bucky, she turned away from the glass.

“Alright, alright, alright. Let’s focus. Let’s do this.” Alice whispered to herself. She looked around the room, figuring out what her first target would be. She eyed a large punching bag towards the center of the room. 

Alice opened her palm and ignited a flame in the center of it. She felt the heat radiate from the tiny flame as her eyes shifted to their fire-bending red hue. The flame flickered in the same way Loki’s eyes did when he spoke of his past. Flickering with glory, flickering with sadness. Alice shook her head and tried to get the thoughts of Loki out of her mind. She needed to focus.

Alice locked her vision on the sight of the punching bag and thrusted her arm forward, shooting the flame at the bag. It lit up like a Christmas tree, fire licking the edges of the bag. With another thrust of her arms, the fire burst into a large ball, orange and red licking the air around it. The crackling of the fire was the only noise in the room.

With a deep breath, Alice swirled her arms around, creating a storm of wind around her. As the air surged from her hands, her eyes transformed into a light-gray color. A tornado formed around her. She then thrust the whirlwind of air at the fire, causing it to spiral around the bag. It created a fire tornado that raced around the room. Alice smirked, looking at the fascinating work of nature before her. 

Alice eyed the room, trying to figure out what else she could do. Suddenly, an idea popped into her mind. Alice faced her palms toward the ground, and began to push her force downwards. She felt the ground begin to shake below her. As the ground vibrated violently, her eyes melted to a chocolatey brown color, reflecting the dirt she would manipulate. The lights in the room flickered on and off as the ground shook violently. She saw the fire tornado shaking, sparks of the fire jumping from its large body to new hosts around the room. As the earthquake raged on, the entire room was beginning to light on fire. Individual weapons and dummies glittered with sparkling fire. Alice let the earthquake cease. She eyed the room and bit her lip. This was quite spectacular.

Alice opened her hands once more and shut her eyes. She took deep breaths as she felt cold water surge from her fingers. Alice slowly opened her eyes, now an ocean-blue tinge to them, and swirled her hands around, causing the water in her hands to become like an ocean, swelling through the room with power. The water kissed the fire, ceasing its reign over the battle room. Alice felt water pooling around her feet and falling like rain. She watched as the last of the fire relinquished its power to the water. As the last flame flickered out, the only sound that Alice could hear was her own heartbeat in her ears and the gentle trickling of water.

Alice almost forgot about her audience until she heard a loud “YES!” come from above her. She spun and saw Thor applauding violently behind the glass. Everyone around him clapped as well. Peter just looked completely shocked at what he just saw, his fingers locked in his own hair. Alice blushed and looked down at the water that was wading around her ankles. She felt the coolness begin to fall into the floor, and within moments, it was all gone. 

Minutes later, Tony entered the room with a smiler bigger than his ego covering his face. 

“That’s my girl!” He shouted, pulling Alice into a tight hug. She smiled against his suit, her hair slightly wet on her cheeks. “Now, it’s time for your final initiation.”

“Final initiation?” Alice questioned, pulling away from Tony. Her eyebrow raised slightly, confusion evident on her face. “Was the fire tornado not enough?”

“Yes, final initiation.” Tony said nonchalantly. “The last step of becoming an Avenger.”

“And that would be?” Alice let the last word trail off, already knowing Tony wouldn’t give her a direct answer. A mischievous smile graced Tony’s face as he wrapped an arm around Alice’s shoulders.

“You’ll see.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the lack of Loki in this chapter :( He'll be back soon though, I promise ;)


	9. Rise of the Phoenix

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm pumping out updates for you guys in order to get the plot rolling. Enjoy this chapter, it was one of my favorites to write :)
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 3042

Tony led Alice from the training room and down the ever-winding hallways of Stark Tower. Many other team members passed them, high fiving Alice and congratulating her on her official status. After what seemed like hours, Alice and Tony finally got to their destination.

“What I’m about to show you will change your life forever, quite literally.” Tony boasted as he entered a password into a keypad on the wall. The doors slid open to reveal a lab. Alice had heard of this famed lab before. It was where Stark designed all of his super suits.

Alice and Tony rounded a corner to see Bruce leaning against a table. He straightened and a kind smiled danced onto his face.

“Alice, welcome. I’m so excited to show you this.” Bruce said, taking off his glasses from the bridge of his nose. “Tony and I have been working on this since you got here.”

“We watched your training, trying to see what your powers were truly like. It took us a while but we finally designed something for you that will increase your power exponentially.” Tony smirked and entered a code into his computer.

A large case rose from the ground and the screen walls that surrounded the group displayed lines of information with diagrams and equations. Inside the case sat a suit that took Alice’s breath away.

“Want to try it on?” Tony winked, and Alice couldn’t help but nod in excitement. Tony removed the suit from the case and pressed something on the wrist of the fabric. The suit shrunk down into a wrist band that resembled a watch. 

“The suit fits in this bracelet here. All you need to do is put in the release sequence and the suit will, for lack of better terms, grow onto your body.” Tony said as he strapped the band around Alice’s left wrist. She flicked her wrist back and forth before entering the pattern Tony showed her. Within seconds, the suit had covered her entire body. 

The suit was skin tight yet extremely breathable. It hugged Alice’s body, making her seem lithe and agile. The thin fabric was completely black. Gold lines were etched into the fabric and glistened against the lights in the lab. Her hands were covered in fingerless black gloves with golden X’s etched into the palm. The suit rolled down her legs and hugged her thighs and calves, leading to black combat-style boots with golden soles. As Alice looked at herself in the mirror, she felt truly powerful.

“There’s a lot of detail that went into this in order to help use your powers to the fullest.” Bruce began to explain. “The fabric seems light but it’s going to protect you against all sorts of temperatures. It will also prevent you from burning from your own fire, and it can’t ignite from your fire as well.”

“Additionally, the gloves will help put more pressure into your elements, causing your water to seem more like a tsunami with less energy used to create it. Also, and this part is my personal favorite, it will help you fly.” Tony clapped his hands together. Alice’s mouth dropped.

“Fly?!” She gasped, looking at her sheathed hands. Tony nodded.

“Conditionally. Since the gloves allow more pressure and extremities to be put into the elements without you using up as much energy as before, the air currents you form will be stronger. They can lift you up onto things and propel you forward slightly. So, yes, you can fly, but only within certain limits.” Tony explained. Alice was still shocked at the idea at all.

“Those boots are also quite special. The suit allows you to be in sync with your powers and your body, helping you focus and expand your powers even greater.” Bruce pointed at the shoes. “Those shoes will help you walk on whatever element in you form.”

“Female Jesus.” Tony suggested. Alice held in a laugh.

“Yeah sure, female Jesus. You’ll be able to make paths of water and walk over them. Same with the other elements as well.” Bruce said, a proud smiling painted onto his face.

“And this part, well it’s just a prototype, and we couldn’t promise that it would work until you tried it out but we may have figured out how to expand your powers.” Tony said. 

“How?” Alice gasped, running her fingers over the light fabric of the suit.

“I think we figured out how to help you control the temperature and density of your elements. By that, I mean, it might be possible that you could control things like ice and lava now.” Bruce smiled.

“But that’s for you to test yourself, preferably in a room that we wouldn’t mind you destroying in case it goes wrong.” Tony smirked, earning a soft laugh from Bruce beside him.

Alice stood there, admiring the suit on her as if it was another person. She felt stronger and more complete. Tears welled in her eyes at the thought of someone putting so much care and thought into who she was. She truly was part of a family.

“Thank you.” She whispered, fingers running along the slick fabric of the suit.

“Of course, Alice. You’re an Avenger now. It’s what you deserve.” Tony said. “Speaking of that, what’s your super hero name?” 

“A super hero name?” Alice asked, looking between the men. Bruce chuckled and looked down.

“You know, a name for the public. People aren’t just going to call you Alice. Iron Man, Captain America, Spiderman. We all have one. Take a pick.” Tony said, waving his hand around. Alice felt so stupid. Of course she needed a name. But what…

She swallowed a lump in her throat. She already had a name. Yet, it haunted her. It reminded her of who she once was. Could a name like that be so heroic? Or did it live in the past with her haunted memories, laced with evil and death?

“Phoenix.” Alice said quietly. “Call me the Phoenix.”

“Alice…” Tony started, remembering the day she had scolded him for calling her that. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“If I don’t reclaim the name it will go down forever as one of evil actions. I have the chance to redeem myself. I want to be remembered as someone who used her powers for good, not for evil.” Alice said, confidence dripping from every word as she spoke. Somehow, it felt right.

“Well, let’s just add another bird to the team then.” Tony joked, patting her on the shoulder. “Welcome to the Avengers, Phoenix.”

 

**

 

Alice felt like a child. She had refused to take off the super suit ever since she had tried it on. She had roamed Stark Tower, purposefully bumping into anyone and everyone she could find. Everyone had complimented her, encouraging her that they were eager for her to join them on their next mission. The most excited person, in particular, was Thor.

When Thor had seen Alice practically skipping down the hallway, he threw his hands up in excitement. A gorgeous, vivid smile erupted onto his face as a bellowing cheer roared from his chest.

“My beautiful friend, I am so proud of you!” Thor exclaimed, gripping onto Alice in a warm embrace. She laughed against his chest, tightening her own arms around him. 

“Thank you, Thor. I can’t believe this has happened. I just feel so…so good.” Alice smiled, looking into his eyes. She felt only comfort in them. “I was actually on my way to…”

“See my brother?” Thor jested, raising an eyebrow. Alice felt her cheeks flush red as she nodded gently. “I figured. If I can’t find you, I just assume you’re down there conversing with him.”

“He needs a friend. I’m simply being that for him.” Alice shrugged, pulling away from Thor and walking towards the direction of Loki’s cell. Even now she still got lost in the tower, yet she always found her way to Loki easily. 

“Just a friend?” Thor hummed, walking beside her with ease. Alice stopped in shock.

“Yes. Just a friend. I’m there to converse with him and keep him company. He needs it.” Alice stressed.

“My dear brother must think you a truly close friend then.” Thor chuckled, still walking in long strides. Alice shook her head and ran up to match his pace.

“What makes you say such a thing?” She asked, her eyes never leaving Thor’s face. The god broke out into a playful smile and he licked his lips.

“He told you who he truly was. He told you stories of Odin and his past.” Thor said softly. Alice jerked up an eyebrow.

“Well, yeah, and?”

“He’s never told anyone that.” Thor stopped and looked at Alice. Her lips were parted gently as she searched his eyes for any indication of lies. There was nothing but truth. “No one in the tower except for me knows about what he really is or how he came to be who is. He’s been here for a long time, Alice, and yet you’re the first person he confides in.” 

“I’m the only one who visits him.” Alice whispered softly, looking down at the ground. Her black boot contrasted deeply with the pearly white flooring.

“Exactly. You have shown so much care for him that only one other woman has.” Alice looked up at Thor, confusion evident in her face. Thor sighed. “That woman was our mother. She loved him so dearly. No one aside from her ever listened to him, not even me, I’m afraid. Just your genuine care of how he feels is enough to have him forming a connection with you.”

“Well of course we have a connection, he’s my friend.” Alice almost laughed. Thor continued to look at her with seriousness lining his features.

“I meant a deeper connection. One to be more careful of.” Thor said, his lips pressed to a thin line. Alice shook her head and looked away. 

“You’re foolish, Thor. He is only a friend and nothing more. He’s a great companion to talk to and that’s it. He lives behind his glass and I live out here. That’s all it is.” The words stung Alice to say. It was the truth. Only gentle glass separated such powerful beings from each other, and yet it felt unbreakable in more ways than just the physical form. 

“If you are sure of that, then let it be so.” Thor smiled again, pulling Alice in the direction of Loki’s cell. They walked in a comfortable silence, yet Alice’s heart was racing.

Did Loki tell Thor of what he spoke with Alice about? Thor somehow knew that Loki told her of his past, so what else was Loki telling him? Was Thor right, did Loki have a deeper form of feelings for her? It would be impossible. Loki was her friend. That was all he ever could be.

Once Thor and Alice arrived at the golden door in which Loki’s cell hid behind, Thor acknowledged that he desired to take the lead. Alice nodded, letting the golden god go first. They paced down the stairs and Alice held onto Thor’s shoulder, hiding her small form behind his body. It reminded her of the first time she had gone down into the cell. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

“Oh, brother, what a wonderful surprise this is.” Loki purred. He had not noticed Alice hiding behind Thor yet. “What brings you here today? Gloating on a recent victory, I presume? Or are you passing on a word from daddy dearest?”

“Gloating, yes, but not for myself. For a friend of yours.” Thor smiled and turned around towards Alice. She smiled brightly at him and walked around his figure, her hand still touching Thor’s arm.

“Hello, Loki.” Alice said softly. Loki just stared at her.

She was beautiful.

Her figure was painted by a black suit, lined with golden that shimmered in the reflection of the glass. Her hair was pulled out of her face, showing off the small details in her face that Loki could never see before. The golden glass made her skin glow, and her eyes reflected the light of it back to him. She stood there, so soft and small, yet so strong and powerful. Whatever had happened to her, Loki loved it. 

Loki had been staring without speaking longer than he anticipated. A god of silver tongue so muted by the vision in front of him? On Asgard, such a thing would be unheard of. He couldn’t help it though. She was like his own personal goddess standing before him, yet, so far from his reach.

“My, my. Look at my friend Alice here. A vision.” He purred softly, coming closer to the glass. Alice blushed and came closer to, looking up at him. He placed his hand against the glass as he always did when she arrived. She fit her palm right over his. 

“Thank you, good friend. Looking as fine as ever in your bath robes.” Alice chuckled. Loki rolled his eyes.

“Traditional Asgardian royalty comfort robes, but sure, bath robes.” Alice chuckled at Loki’s sarcasm. 

“Alice has some wonderful news.” Thor stepped in, putting his arm around Alice. Loki wasn’t sure what it was, but something twisted his stomach at the sight of his brother touching the woman that he could not. “She’s an official Avenger now.”

Loki stepped back, surprise etched in his glorious features. He looked between the two beings standing before him. He paused, then spoke slowly.

“She’s an Avenger now? Is that what happens when you force someone from their home and bring them here unwillingly?” Loki asked with acid in his voice. “I guess I’m an Avenger too.” He said with malice.

“No, Loki. I was willing from beginning to end. Tony wanted me to show my powers to the rest of the team and I guess they liked it. There was no force involved.” Alice said softly, crossing her arms. Something in her voice calmed Loki’s nerves.

“Well, I’m glad your fate seems more comfortable than mine. Congratulations.” Loki smirked with a wave of his hand. His eyes darted to Thor’s, and they hardened instantly. “Will you be fulfilling your journey today?”

“Yes, brother. I’ll bring them to her if you’re ready.” Thor nodded. Loki pressed his lips together as his eyes softened. He sighed and flicked his hand. Suddenly, Thor’s hands were full of envelopes with a traditional Asgardian wax seal pressed onto all of them. “I anticipate to be back shortly. She’s been asking for you.”

Loki swallowed hard. He nodded quickly and turned his eyes to the floor, motioning for Thor to leave. As Thor turned around, Loki looked back up.

“Brother.” Loki said softly, almost too quiet to hear. Yet, Thor paused and turned. “Thank you.”

Thor smiled and nodded. He patted Alice on the shoulder before telling her that he would be back soon, and he left the cell. Alice looked back towards Loki who still held some sort of regret in his eyes.

“Will you ever tell me what those are?” She questioned, sitting down directly in front of the glass. Loki mirrored her actions slowly.

“I already told you, they’re death threats to Stark.” Loki grinned. Alice simply rolled her eyes.

“Sure they are. Now tell me what they really are.” She giggled.

“Letters.” He said simply, avoiding her gaze. She narrowed her eyes and bit her pink lip.

“Letters to a lady lover, perhaps?” She jested, hoping for one answer over another.

“There is no lady lover, girl.” Loki said softly, looking up at her. Relief swelled in her stomach. Alice couldn’t explain why.

“A male lover, then?” Alice winked. Loki’s lips turned up in a grin.

“Not this time.” He winked back. A blush crept onto Alice’s cheeks.

“A child?” She joked even further, yet concern was clearly laced in her words. Loki chuckled genuinely.

“I have no children either, I swear. Those letters are for someone quite close to my heart.” Loki smiled, looking down at his pale fingers which were laced with one another. He wondered what Alice’s fingers felt like. 

“A friend?” Alice questioned, sliding slightly closer to the glass. 

“The only friend I have is you.” Loki whispered, almost so softly that Alice might not have heard it. Yet, the words hit her heart and beat at her head. All she wanted in this moment was to hug him. “No, the letters are for my mother, Frigga. Well, adoptive mother. But she is closer to me than anyone is. After my banishment to Midgard, Odin demanded that I have no further contact with her. Yet, Thor has been transporting letters between us to each other for quite some time. I may not hear her voice, but reading her words brings me great comfort, Alice.”

Alice sighed. Before her, she saw a broken man. Someone lost who just wanted a genuine connection. A boy who longed for his mother. 

“I’m sure she loves hearing from you.” It was all Alice could say. She never had a mother figure to look up to. She couldn’t understand that love. 

“Considering Thor returns with dozens of letters from her every three or four days, I would hope that’s the case.” Loki laughed, still staring at his fingers. “I miss her dearly.” He said, his voice shaking with vulnerability. 

Alice placed her hand on the glass again, pressing into it with immense force. She wondered if the fire in her palms could melt the magical force field and release this broken man. Loki looked up and pressed his hand against the barrier. He wondered if his magic could dissolve the wall between them.

They looked at each other with silence. Their breathing fell into sync. It was a harmonious peace.

“I’m going to get you out of here.” Alice whispered, not sure whether she was promising it to herself or Loki.

“You’ll die if you try that.” Loki rolled his eyes, looking away from the girl but leaving his hand pressed against the glass.

“If that’s what it takes, then so be it.” And with that, Alice was sure she would see Loki walk free once more.

Whatever it takes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this fic is Loki/female lover but I made sure to briefly slip in his pansexuality in there because its part of who he is and I love that


	10. Call to Action

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 10 is finally here! Thank you guys for all the love and support for this story! Feedback, kudos, and comments are always well appreciated and I hope you guys enjoy this next bit!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 2442

“Tony, please!”

“No.”

“Come on, just give it a try.”

“Alice, I said no.”

“But why, though?”

“Is the reasoning really that unclear?”

“To me, yes.”

“I will not let Loki leave that cell.”

Alice groaned, rolling her eyes and pacing across Tony’s office. The older man was sat in his desk chair, rubbing his hands over his tired eyes. She had not left him alone for the past three weeks. He appreciated her persistence and determination, but felt sick over the fact that it just had to be about Loki.

“You refuse to tell me why. Every time I ask you, you tell me that I should know. Yet, here I am, asking you for three weeks now to release him, so I obviously do not know.” Alice snapped. Tony rolled his eyes.

“I’m sorry but Loki is an evil man. He’s a danger to society and I will not let a murderer walk free.” Tony huffed, crossing his arms. Alice just stood there staring at him. His words stung, considering her own past as a killer.

“Then put me in that cell with him.” 

“Excuse me?” Tony growled, leaning forward.

“I am a murderer just as he is. I’ve killed more innocents that he has. Lock Bucky away too, why don’t you?” Alice said with poison in her words. Tony felt the anger seething from her.

“You didn’t have a choice. Bucky didn’t have a choice. Loki, on the other hand, he did.” Tony said, gripping the fabric of his suit to keep himself leveled. 

“Are you so sure of that?” Alice replied, leaning forward onto the desk.

“Are you really back on this insanity again?” Tony muttered, looking down at Alice’s hands pressed against his desk.

“It’s not insanity, it’s the truth. I believe him! He’s told me time and time again that he regrets what he’s done and how it wasn’t his mind behind his actions.” Alice said, almost pleading Tony to believe her.

“Loki is the literal god of mischief. Did it ever occur to you that he could be saying these things to trick you? Make you believe something that isn’t true, be a slight gentleman towards you so that way you feel bad, run to me, beg for me to release him, and if for some reason I do, he reverts back to the man who tried to rule Earth. Did that ever cross your mind?” Tony snapped. Alice bit her lip and shook her head.

“No. He’s a good man. He’s a man who loves his mother, his brother, and his people. He wants to fix what he wronged.” Alice said softly.

“He’s also a man who loves himself more than all of those things combined.” Tony growled at her. She could tell his temper was rising but she would not give in.

“How would you know? You’re not the one going down there to actually talk to him and listen.” Alice said harshly, her eyes narrowing. Tony’s face filled with hot redness. “Have you even said one word to him since you put him in that cage? Have you ever sat there trying to hear his side of the story? I sure as hell know the answer to those questions, so why do you think you know more than I do?”

“I know because I’m the one he tried to kill!” Tony yelled, slamming his hands on the desk. “He has given me endless anxiety. I can’t sleep at night because of him and what he did to New York. I built Ultron out of fear that he would bring aliens back into this city. A good man would not do those things.” 

Alice could feel the hurt radiating from Tony. She knew the pain Loki caused him, and part of her was filled with guilt at the fact that she had become so close to Tony’s demon. She walked around the desk and placed her hands on his shoulders softly. 

“I’m sorry for pressing you.” She whispered. “I know that he’s been a burden. I just want to give him the chance to change that. He’s a powerful being and I believe that with proper guidance, he could be a good ally to the team.”

“Or a good person to sleep with?” Tony questioned, half joking and half serious. Alice blushed and shook her head.

“No, a good friend to us.” Alice looked at Tony, whose eyes were begging for her to drop the subject. She sighed, patting his shoulder twice before she made her way to leave the office. Before she had the chance to exit, Tony stopped her.

“Why does he mean so much to you?” He mumbled, sadness in his large eyes. Alice smiled gently, her hand resting on the office’s door knob.

“I know what it’s like to live alone when you truly don’t want to. I know how lonely it gets. He listens to me, because that’s all that he wants in return. He’s been oppressed his entire life. When I’m down there with him, I don’t see a god. I see a sad boy. I see someone who is in desperate need of physical contact. I see someone who just wants to do better.” Alice whispered, her eyes filling with tears. She had only wanted him to walk free again…to walk free with her.

After a long pause, Tony took a deep breath and shook his head. He mumbled something so softly to himself that Alice couldn’t hear it. He waved his hand and took another sigh.

“I’ll consider it.”

 

**

 

“Goodnight, Alice. I hope your dreams are as sweet as you.” Loki said softly to the girl across the glass from him. She smiled softly as she placed her hand to the glass.

“Goodnight, Loki.” She said back warmly. Loki’s hand was pressed against hers through the glass. She wasn’t sure if it was reality or just her exhausted mind that was giving off the illusion she was feeling something cold on her palm.

“Will I see you tomorrow?” Loki said with pleading eyes. He had looked so exhausted, Alice felt bad for keeping him up so late. She had spent hours sitting across from him. She craved conversation with him. Little did she know he had craved just the same from her.

“Of course, I would never miss this.” Alice smiled. Loki gave her a dazzling smile in return. She would miss seeing it until tomorrow. “I promised you that not a day would pass without a visit from me, whether you like it or not.” She teased the last part. Loki chuckled, knowing he would always love to see her.

“Then I shall see you tomorrow, good friend.” Loki dropped his hand as Alice got up. She waved back to him as she walked up the stairs. It was beginning to become too hard to say goodbye.

Over the past few weeks, the two were practically inseparable. There were times that Alice had just fallen asleep on the ground, perched against the glass because she couldn’t bring herself to leave, her legs too tired to carry her through the tower and her heart too stubborn to leave the poor god alone. When this would happen, Loki would just sit there quietly and watch her. He admired her, and wished to just reach out and touch her. Loki would never admit it to her, but he would never sleep for the rest of his life it meant being able to talk to her. After he was sure she was deep in her slumber, he always asked the guards to return her to her quarters, since the floor was no place for a beautiful woman like her to sleep. 

Loki had begun sharing the letters he wrote for Frigga with Alice. Her name would even appear every so often within the poetic writing, causing a warm, fuzzy feeling in her stomach. She would listen to him read the words through the glass, putting her in a trance. His voice was like a symphony of music. It was what attracted her to this very spot in the first place. 

Once Alice exited Loki’s cell, she walked silently through the quiet halls of Stark Tower. It felt so lonely at 3 a.m. The hallways were cold and the buzzing of the lights were irritating. The elevator she was in was shaking too much and the music that came through the speakers was scratching at her ears. The ride up to her room was nauseating. She had half a mind to turn around and retreat back to Loki’s cell. She would make up some excuse about getting lost or forgetting to tell him something once she got there. He would insist for her to go to sleep as it would be beneficial for her health. She would refuse, and within moments, he would give in and continue talking to her all night. 

She decided that this was exactly what she would do. When the doors opened to her floor, she kept her feet stationed in the elevator. Despite her mind insisting that she move her feet, enter her room, and finally sleep, her heart demanded that she see the person who she craved the most. Alice tapped the button for Loki’s floor again, and the doors shut before her eyes. She released a deep breath and began to formulate her reasoning for why she was returning. Getting lost was the most believable, since it was just in her character to do so. 

When the doors finally opened, she was no longer alone.

Steve Rogers stood before her, panic seared onto his face. He took her hand and pulled her out from the elevator. His pace was quick, and his normally calm complexion was flushed red.

“What are you doing up at 3 in the morning?” Alice asked as Steve practically dragged her through the halls.

“I could ask you the same thing.” Steve joked. “We need to go.”

“Go? What? Steve, what’s going on?” Alice asked, trying to stop him from pulling her. For the first time, she noticed that he was in his Captain America outfit.

“There’s been an attack in Italy. We need to go there and stop it. You have your suit on you right?” Steve explained. He turned to look at her wrist to see the band strapped on tightly. She never took it off. 

“Steve, I can’t go with you. I’ve never done this before. I’m going to just be a liability!” Alice panicked. She could see it now. The entire team fighting while she cowered in a corner. She would bring shame to them. She would get someone hurt. Steve stopped his tracks and turned to Alice in her eyes. She could feel the desperation in them.

“This isn’t the time for panicking. We need to go. Innocent people are in danger and we need your help. Please, Alice.” Steve said, gnawing at his lip. She could see the concern in his eyes for the people he didn’t even know. Steve was always so caring, being the first to put his life on the line if it meant protecting others. She wished she could be as brave as he was. Alice swallowed a thick lump in her throat and nodded. 

“Alright, okay. When will we be back?” Alice questioned, as Steve released her arm. She quickly walked next to him, suddenly eager to be considered a necessity for this mission. 

“Not sure, this attack sounds big. Maybe a few days.” Steve mumbled, and suddenly Alice’s heart fell to her stomach.

A few days?

She promised Loki she would be back tomorrow. Her heart began to race. How long would she be away from Loki? He was bound to feel betrayed by her. She never lied to him. She knew how trusting he had become in her. What would happen to him if she let him down? Would all her hard work at breaking down his walls be for nothing if he was to just build them back up?

As the two passed the golden door that housed Loki, Alice stopped.

“Steve, I…”

“There’s no time, Alice. We need to go.” Steve urged, silently begging her to keep walking. He knew what she wanted to do, and it pained him to pull her away from the opportunity. There was simply no time. She just stared at the door.

“Please, I can’t leave him without telling him. He’ll be worried sick if he doesn’t hear from any of us.” Alice whispered. Steve groaned and walked back to her.

“If we don’t leave now, more and more innocent people will die. Please, come on.” Steve said, holding her shoulders. The tears began to fall from Alice’s eyes. She nodded, feeling the trails of water paint her cheeks. Steve pulled Alice along and towards the jets outside. The grounds were buzzing with people and activity, but Alice felt numb.

‘I’m sorry, Loki.’ She thought to herself, eyes locked on the ground. When she caught sight of Thor running towards one of the jets, he turned and looked at her. Quickly, he rushed to her side and wrapped an arm around her.

“You’re stationed with me.” He said, leading her to one of the jets. She didn’t respond. She let Thor lead her to where she needed to go. When she was strapped into a jet next to Thor, he simply placed a large hand on her leg.

“You seem nervous.” He mumbled to her as the engines of the jet roared to life.

“It’s my first time doing something like this. Of course I’m nervous.” She spat back. She didn’t mean to be rude, but her nerves were everywhere. Alice couldn’t focus on anything except for the warmth of Thor’s hand against her leg. “Promise me that you’ll try to protect me?”

“My friend, I would move mountains if it meant protecting you.” Thor said, moving his arm so he could wrap it around Alice. She sighed, leaning into into his shoulder. 

“I’m afraid I’m going to mess everything up.” She whispered, tears pricking at her eyes. She loved Thor, but at this moment, she knew a different set of arms around her would feel better. A set of arms that she had never felt before. Loki's arms. The thought made her stomach drop.

“Nonsense. Everything will be okay.” Thor sighed, rubbing her arm with his large hand. She turned her head to look up at him. His eyes were full of concern, worry and sadness. 

“You’ll be okay.” Thor whispered, smiling as happily as he could. 

Alice knew he was faking it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh dear. What's going to happen to Alice? It's her first mission with the Avengers. What's going to happen to Loki? I guess we'll have to wait and see...


	11. Foolish Decisions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god!! The comments on the last chapter were so amazing!! I love hearing from you guys so much. Comments and kudos really encourage me to update more often so please keep them coming, I love love love all the feedback!!
> 
> ALSO!!! I'm going to be on vacation until wednesday the 22nd so this may be the last update for a few days. I'll do my best to try and upload while I'm away but no promises, I'm so sorry :(
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 2593

Two weeks. 

It had been two weeks since Loki had seen Alice. 

Loki had received no word from her for two weeks. His brother was absent as well. Whenever he attempted to ask one of the guards where they were when he was brought his meals, they would simply ignore him. He had pleaded, begged them for any ounce of information. Yet, they turned their cheeks and would leave him with only silent mysteries.

He knew she was too good to be true. Why would anyone spend so much time with him of all people? She was surrounded by heroes and yet she chose to spend her time with him? It must have been a hoax. A plan set up by Stark to get him to release all his intimate secrets. It disgusted him.

The first day she didn’t show up, Loki was sure everything was fine. She was exhausted the night prior and had probably spent the day asleep. Loki knew she needed her rest and was grateful that she was actually accepting her opportunity to sleep. He spent that day writing to his mother while he anticipated her arrival later.

The second day she didn’t show up, Loki convinced himself that she was being held up by Stark. He knew of the countless meetings that Stark arranged for his precious heroes. Alice had told him once that she could barely keep up with what they were saying, and that she would much rather be with Loki. It warmed his heart slightly. He continued to hold hope that maybe she would arrive later in the day. She never came. 

The third day she didn’t show up, Loki was anxious. She had been gone for so long. She had never gone more than a few hours without at least stopping by to greet him. He wondered if she was hurt. Yet, if something had happened to her, Thor would have surely told him. His brother was a mystery as well. Normally, Thor would stop by every few days yet Loki heard no word from him. Was he being excluded from their current whereabouts for a reason? 

The fourth day she didn’t show up, Loki couldn’t hold in his anger. He had felt betrayed by the girl he trusted. She swore that he could trust her, and yet she had just disappeared without a trace. What if she was using everything he confided in her against him? Was she fueling Stark with his secrets? Loki felt disgust churning in his stomach. He gave her everything he had to share and did she dare to take it as bait for her team? Loki might be happier if she didn’t come back.

Once the fifth day came, he had given up all hope. He had been lying in his bed, tossing a small container into the air. He was bored. He had no one to talk to. The guards that brought him meals wouldn’t even look at him. Loki felt like he had before Alice began to show up. He was alone, he was bored, and he was angry. He would growl at the guards that fed him, like a sick animal. He wanted to be left alone. He was hurt beyond belief and couldn’t stand the thought of being kind. Still, he couldn't help but miss her terribly. 

Late into the evening after two weeks had passed (or so Loki believed, he had lost track of time long ago), he heard the heavy door to the room being opened. He got up and stood at the front of the cell, arms crossed behind his back. He had been anticipating the entrance of a guard, hoping to make fools of the weak Midgardian and entertain himself finally. As the footsteps got closer, Loki knew that this visitor was not a guard.

It was her.

“Loki…”

“You’re late.” He cut her off. He couldn’t see her face, but he could sense the guilt in it. He tried not to let it disrupt the anger he presented on his face. 

“I know, I…” Alice began. Her voice sounded weak and scratchy.

“Two weeks late.” Loki growled, a scowl on his face. “You swore you’d be back. Where did you go, girl? Did you tell your precious Avengers all my secrets, now? Use my heart against me? And to think that I trusted you. You swore your companionship to me and yet you left without a trace.”

There was venom dripping from Loki’s words. He was angry, so angry. His face was hard as stone. How dare she have the nerve to show up all innocent and pretend as if mere minutes passed since their last encounter. He had been lied to and he was used. He knew it was bound to happen eventually, but he finally felt as though he had found someone to trust. Someone who wouldn’t betray him. He was wrong.

But then, Alice stepped forward.

When she came into the light, Loki took a step back. His face transformed from anger to horror. 

Alice’s hair was a mess. Strands of charred hair were curled around her face. Her suit was torn with deep gashes in her skin where the fabric was ripped. Her face, though, was what broke Loki the most. She had a large cut that had placed itself on her cheek, blood freshly coating the skin. Bruises lined her head and lips. Her eyes were red from crying and her skin was paled. Her cheeks were hallowed in and there were deep purple circles under her eyes. Bruises painted her all over her body. Her once soft, pink lips were chapped and bruised, cuts lining the skin. Loki was sure she looked thinner.

“Who did this to you?” Loki said with a choked sob, coming up to the front of the glass. He pressed his hand firmly on the barrier, and she slowly moved forward as well.

“Someone got too close to me and I panicked. They took advantage of that.” Alice sighed, looking at the ground. 

“What? Who was it? I’ll kill them.” Loki growled. Alice was too pure, and anyone who would even think about causing her the slightest bit of pain must truly be a monster.

“I was on a mission. I had no choice but to go. The people we were fighting, they were good. I got cornered. He sliced my hands and I couldn’t use my powers because it just hurt too much. He then just…went at it. I was screaming but no one could hear me.” Alice’s lips trembled as she flipped her hands over, showing the cut open gloves. “I didn’t have time to say goodbye. I’m sorry. I tried to see you, I truly did. All of us had to go, the attack was bigger than we could handle. I’m sorry I couldn’t-”

“No, my dear, stop your sorrows. I am so terribly sorry. I assumed the worst in you when you were saving the world.” Loki sighed, wishing he could feel her bruised skin. He wanted to heal her. He wanted to run his hands over her arms and assure her that he would never put her in harm’s way. “I’m simply used to betrayal. I apologize. I swear on my life I will murder whoever dared to hurt you.”

Alice looked up into his eyes. They were sparkling green. Loki’s thin lips were parted slightly, and she could practically feel his breath on her face if she believed she could hard enough.

“Don’t worry, Thor took care of that part for you.” She smiled. She winced at the movement on her face, stretching the battered skin. It broke Loki’s heart. “I wouldn’t do any of those things to you, Loki. I would never lie to you.” 

“I know. I was just angry, I am sorry. The guards told me nothing so I simply caved into the anger that has always lied within me. I swear to you, I will be better.” Loki said softly, pressing his hand harder against the glass. Alice’s hand was smaller than his, yet it fit perfectly against his, or so he imagined. Tears pricked at his eyes from the pain of seeing her so damaged. He was ashamed of himself for assuming such vile things of her. 

“You are a good man, Loki. I know you are. Anger affects us all. It is nothing to be ashamed of.” Alice spoke softly. Loki looked away.

“Anger has controlled me for most of my time alive and I am tired of its handle on me.” Loki admitted. “It is time to let such a past go and begin anew, yes?”

“Yes. It is.” Alice grinned. She ignored the pain in her face. She needed to show Loki that she approved of this. Loki looked back her way and returned a gracious smile.

“One day I will be free to show you that.” Loki whispered. He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against the golden wall. Alice bit her lip as she watched the man before her struggle with himself. “I swear on my life, I will do anything in my power to show you, all of you, who I truly am.”

“I know who you are.” Alice whispered. Loki turned his head up. He was closer to her than over. If the barrier wasn’t there, he could’ve just leaned forward and kissed her. 

Loki brushed away the thought. She was a good friend, nothing more. She came to him to converse and keep him company. He was nothing compared to her. Alice was, quite literally, a hero. He was a villain. He knew that to be the truth. There was nothing he could do to be worthy of her.

“You must go see the healers. Quite frankly, you look terrible.” Loki smirked.

“I needed to see you first.” She shook her head, her hair scratching at her damaged skin.

“You are a fool.” Loki sighed. “Covered in gashes and you insist on seeing me instead of aiding yourself. Has anyone else been injured?” Alice could sense the concern in his voice. She knew he wasn’t asking to be kind.

“Some of us got more battered than the rest. Thor’s doing fine. He just got stabbed but he’s already healing somehow.” She spoke softly. Thor promised to protect her, and he truly did his best. It wasn’t until someone managed to stab him while he was shielding her did he let his guard falter. It was then that someone captured Alice. As soon as Thor had found her, though, he let no mercy fall upon her attacker.

“My brother is used to such injuries. It will not affect him in the slightest.” Loki waved his hand. He smirked at his own comment, knowing he was the one who caused Thor to get used to such injuries. “If everyone is getting treatment, why are you here with me?”

“I needed to see you.” Alice admitted, biting her bruised lip. Loki sighed, shaking his head.

“You need to get cleaned up and healed, not see me.” Loki said sternly.

“But, I haven’t seen you in so long. I…I missed you. A lot.” Alice blushed. She was embarrassed to admit that the thought of Loki danced in her mind and distracted her more than it should.

“My dear, I’ve missed you greatly. More than I would dare to admit. But I’d rather you get yourself healed than be here. Knowing you're safe and in good health is more important to me than anything.” Loki said softly, his eyes locked onto the girl in front of him. He was worried for her. She looked so damaged. He was sure she was thinner after she got closer. How much had she eaten? Did she sleep at all? Her pain must be killing her. Damn Stark for putting her in harm’s way. 

“I’ve been covered in this for two weeks now, I think I can wait another few minutes.” Alice smiled gently. Everything hurt, and her mind was screaming at her to leave and get herself healed. Yet, she couldn’t leave Loki. Not now, she missed him too much. 

“You are aware that ‘minutes’ in your mind equate to hours.” Loki chuckled. “You always say, ‘I’ll go up to sleep in a few minutes’ and yet you stay here for hours.”

“Would you rather me leave you, again, then?” Alice blushed. A beautiful smile painted itself onto Loki’s face.

“Never.”

The two stood there against the glass, pressed to each other with only a small wall between them. As they stood in silence, neither realized they were not alone. 

Tony stood at the top of the stairs, hiding in the darkness. He had listened to every word they had spoken. There was nothing but kindness from Loki’s end. Yes, he had gotten angry, and sure he threatened to kill someone, but that someone had hurt Alice. Tony would have had no issue doing that himself.

Tony was sure he was going crazy. When he began to think about it, what had Loki done wrong recently? Scared a few guards? He gave them the answers they wanted. He didn’t try to escape. He hadn’t even tried to whip out a knife on anyone, even in a playful manner.

Tony knew Loki wasn’t entirely good. He was sure Alice knew that too. Maybe Alice was right. Maybe Loki could be an asset to the team. His powers were unparalleled and they did have Thor on the team to keep him in check. 

He had to remember that Loki was the one who attacked New York. He brought an alien army to the city. He killed people before. 

But he also had to remember that Alice was the one who attacked innocent lives. She brought an army of fire to the city. She killed people before.

Were they so different? Alice had been going down to those cells for so long now. She knew better than anyone, well, other than Bucky maybe, what being influenced by someone else was like. If she was so sure that Loki was under the same trance, could it be true? Could Loki have been manipulated and forced to bring terror onto Earth?

There were too many questions, and not enough answers. But Tony knew one thing for sure, and that was that Alice trusted Loki with her life. She didn’t trust anyone in this tower except for him at first. Thor advised Tony that Alice was under no form of mental control by Loki. So, was he truly…good?

He sighed softly and turned to climb back into the hallway. He was about to make a very foolish decision. A few hours later, after several drinks, Tony called all of the Avengers into a meeting.

All but one.

When everyone had sat around the meeting table, Tony eyed every one of them. Some were more beaten and battered than others, but all were content with the win they had just scored against the evil forces that threatened innocent lives in Italy.

“So Stark, what calls for a meeting this time?” Clint asked while raising an eyebrow, his arms covered in bruises. They were usually presented with an agenda beforehand. A mysterious meeting was unusual. “And where the hell is Alice?”

Tony ignored the second question. He knew what he was about to say may change everyone’s opinion of him forever. He knew this was wrong. He knew this was dangerous. 

“It’s about Loki.” Tony said. He saw everyone’s eyes widen. “I want to let him go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soft Loki is my favorite Loki honestly. Tony is making some risky decisions it seems. I wonder how everyone else will react?


	12. The Bright Lure of Freedom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OVER 1000 HITS?? ARE YOU SERIOUS!! Guys thank you so much!! After coming back from vacation that absolutely astounded me to see. Thank you for reading and leaving kudos and comments. I loved reading all your comments from the previous chapter, they literally make me the happiest person alive. 
> 
> Here's the next chapter!! Sorry for the cliffhanger on the last chapter, I just couldn't help myself. Also, peep the title of this chapter! Thanks Loki for some quality title material.
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 3119

“Are you insane?” Was the first thing Tony heard after he announced he wanted to free Loki. He wasn’t sure who it came from, but he knew everyone was thinking it. 

“I know it sounds crazy but…”

“It doesn’t sound crazy, it is crazy.” Natasha pointed out, leaning back in her seat with her arms crossed. “The man has killed so many people.”

“So have you. So have I. We all have blood on our hands.” Tony mumbled softly. Natasha widened her eyes in disbelief. 

“We killed people who were trying to kill others. We killed for the right reason!” Natasha snapped. 

“Listen, he hasn’t fallen out of line in a long time. He’s been obedient and hasn’t tried anything in terms of escaping since he got here!” Tony stressed. He felt like he was going crazier and crazier with every word he said. Was he truly doing this? Was he defending the man who haunted his dreams? Was it too late to take everything he just said back?

“Didn’t he make the guards draw their guns on him, like, two days ago?” Natasha raised an eyebrow. 

“Wouldn’t you have bursts of anger too if you had been locked away for years on end?” Tony asked. “Yes, he’s gotten angry. He’s yelled. But he, surprisingly, hasn’t tried to hurt anyone. All things considered, he’s actually been…good.”

“Tony, why do you want to do this?” Steve asked. Bucky was sitting next to him, just staring down at the table. 

“I’ve been persuaded into thinking he may have changed his intentions.” Tony admitted. Clint laughed from the other side of the room.

“Persuaded in the same way that he persuaded me to work for him?” Clint practically hissed. Tony rolled his eyes. He understood why Clint was on edge. 

“My brother cannot control minds without that stone.” Thor said, pointing to Vision’s forehead. “I am sure he has not raided Tony’s mind. He is still too sarcastic to have been mentally taken over.” 

“It’s not Tony’s mind I’m concerned about, quite frankly.” Steve muttered. Tony looked at him with pleading eyes. Steve shook his head and sighed. “Tony’s not the one who is hanging out in those cells all day.”

“Cap’s got a point.” Natasha stressed. “Alice has been spending a ridiculous amount of time down there. Do you think Loki is trying to possess her?”

“Possession is not a power my brother, well, possesses.” Thor urged again. “I have seen him first hand be gentle towards her. I have watched in on them when they did not know. There is no scheming in the works, friends, they are just conversing.”

“Is that what the kids call it now-a-days?” Clint joked, earning a quiet chuckle amongst the group. 

“Alice has come to me for weeks begging me to let him go. She trusts him, even when she didn’t trust us.” Tony said. “Besides, we’re stronger now. If Loki tries anything, we’ll be able to stop him.”

“So what happens if you do release him? I’m sure his father wouldn’t want him back on Asgard. That’s why he’s here in the first place.” Steve questioned, looking at Thor for approval. Thor nodded on behalf of the statement of his father. Odin would not accept Loki back so easily. He would have to prove himself worthy to come back to Asgard once more. Despite the love and belief he had in his brother, Thor was unsure Loki would be able to prove that worth. Even the mightiest and bravest acts would likely be overlooked by Odin.

“Well, that’s why I thought we would let him go under certain conditions. He can’t leave the compound, he must be under watch the whole time. Those details we can work out if we agree on this.” Tony waved his hand around as he explained. He could see the wariness in everyone. “So what do we say?” 

The room was incredibly silent. Everyone looked at one another in hopes to find some answers within someone else. Tony stood there, looking around and hoping to hear someone speak soon. Out from the silence, came a single voice. 

“I say let him go.” 

Everyone turned their heads towards Bucky, who sat in his chair still looking down. Steve’s mouth parted as if he was about to say something, but shut it slowly.

“What?” Bruce asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Alice told me that his actions were not his choice. Out of everyone here, she and I know how that feels. I trust her judgement.” Bucky continued, finally looking up. “Isolation is not exciting. Maybe letting Loki out for a while, being surrounded by a shit load of supers, will help him show us who he really is.”

“You have got to be kidding me.” Natasha groaned. “This is ridiculous! He’s killed innocent people, does no one understand this?”

“I’ve killed innocent people too, Natasha. Have you forgotten that part of yourself too?” Bucky shot her daggers. “People change.”

Natasha sat there with her mouth parted open. She was sure everyone was going crazy. She was suspicious of Loki, obviously. Why all of a sudden were people bargaining for his freedom?

“My brother was never a villain on Asgard. He was an angry man who felt abandoned by the people closest to him. The man who attacked New York was not the man I grew up with.” Thor mumbled, looking off into the distance. “Loki was always a good person, maybe one who enjoyed tricks and mischief a bit too much but it was nothing incredibly harmful.”

“Didn’t he stab you, like, a thousand times?” Natasha almost growled. 

“Well, yes, but it was nothing more than play. I would often ride over him on a horse, that’s child’s play on Asgard!” Thor smiled brightly, remembering his youth with his brother. They were so close for the longest time. A day never passed where Thor did not regret turning his back on his younger sibling. 

“So it sounds like Bucky and Thor are in.” Tony grinned, just picturing the look on Alice’s face if she could see this. “Anyone else?”

 

*** 

 

Loki had been lying on his bed for hours, his thoughts occupying his mind until Alice would arrive. He hadn’t seen her much since the night before, which had, as of recently, become out of character.

Loki found himself becoming too worried about her, constantly concerned over how she was. Ever since she arrived in the cell looking completely bruised and battered, he had remembered how truly fragile Midgardians were, even spectacular ones like her. He would have done anything in his power to protect her and make sure she never felt any ounce of pain ever again.

She was beginning to occupy too much space in his mind. Loki had blamed it on the fact that there was nothing much else to ponder about behind these barriers. Besides, she was the only one who visited him regularly, aside from his brother.

He was beginning to crave their interactions. Yet, they saddened him as well. When their hands were pressed together against the glass, it made Loki realize how trapped he truly is. Alice was living in the open world, free as a bird, and he was caged like a beast. No matter what he tried, Loki knew he would never be able to be enough for someone like her. Someone who was pure. Someone who was free. Someone who was good.

He longed to be free like her, with her. Even if it was just for an hour, Loki needed the fresh air. He needed physical contact. There was only so much that could satisfy him as he sat alone, where everyone could see him. 

Loki closed his eyes, picturing the outside world. Blue skies, green grass. Tall trees that lined the property. It was all he could remember from when he was brought here. Not as beautiful as Asgard, but better than this cramped cell. As he pictured standing outside, the air kissing his skin and running through his hair, he envisioned Alice standing beside him. Her hair would whip around her face gently against the wind, her eyes brighter in the sunlight, and her skin glowing from the daylight.

She would be so beautiful. She is so beautiful. Loki growled to himself, shaking his head. He couldn’t stop imagining her beauty, her humor, her mind. She was a fascinating creature. Part of him doubted that she was actually of Midgard. She challenged the women of Asgard, beating all of them easily in Loki’s mind. 

He wanted to touch her. He wanted to hold her hand and wrap his arms around her. He wanted to run his fingers along her, he supposed, soft cheek, and brush her hair behind her ear. He wanted to hear her laugh directly in his ear, feel her breath against his skin. And then maybe, just maybe, she would look directly into his eyes, connecting them to each other. Her lips would curl into a smile as he took her hip in his hand, pulling her closer to him. Maybe he would lean down to her, only inches apart, and finally kiss her.

Loki was worried. Worried because of this. Worried because these thoughts were too present in his mind. It was all he could think about. He swallowed, turning in his bed and pressing his face into his pillow. Part of him hoped she would stop showing up, maybe then he would be able to get her out his mind and return to his angry solitude. The other part of him begged her to stay, to never leave. He was weak after only a few days of her disappearing. He wasn’t sure how to survive such an act again.

Loki was interrupted by the gentle sound of footsteps echoing down the stairs to his cell. He knew it was Alice, the steps were too light to be Thor’s. He jumped up from his bed, smoothing out his robes and stood at the front of his cell, arms crossed behind his back as always. Loki plastered a slick, coy grin onto his face. It was a staple look for him. He refused to let his inner concerns show on his face.

When Alice came into the light, her smile was stretched from ear to ear. Loki let his shoulders relax, letting out a heavy breath he didn’t know he was holding. She walked up to the glass, placing her right hand against the surface. Loki smiled gently, pressing his hand to the same spot.

“Hello, darling.” Loki said softly, looking into her eyes. They were shining extra brightly today. Seeing her made his heart speed up. She was so beautiful. She took his breath away. She sighed happily, but before Alice had the chance to speak, another voice came from behind her.

“Hello to you too, sweetheart.” Tony crept up from behind Alice, wrapping a protective arm around her shoulder. Loki took a step back, shock lining his features. He pressed his lips together into a tight line and furrowed his eyebrows. His posture went stiff and his entire being was defensive. 

“What are you doing here?” Loki growled with venom in his voice. His eyes were filled with anger. How dare Stark turn up after years of throwing him in this cage and ignoring him, acting as if they’d be friends since childhood.

“Am I not allowed to visit you, good old pal?” Tony smirked, his arm steady against Alice. 

“You have never been so inclined to before.” Loki rolled his eyes. He tilted his head to the side, eyeing the couple standing before him. He was quite confused. 

“Yeah well, I guess a lot of things are changing then today.” Tony muttered while rubbing a hand over his eyes. Loki perked up an eyebrow. 

“What are you babbling about, Stark?” Loki hissed. He was getting tired of the games. Tony lifted his arm from around Alice and began pacing back and forth in front of the cell. Despite Alice’s presence, Loki wasn’t calm. His eyes never left Stark’s pacing figure. 

“Your friend Alice is very convincing.” Tony began, waving his hand around in the air. “I don’t know what you’ve done to her to make her so fond of you, but she is.”

Loki flashed his eyes over to Alice, who stood completely silent. A gentle smile was etched onto her face. Loki looked at her with confusion, hoping she would offer him some answers. She simply continued to smile. He shook his head, looking back at Tony.

“Alice and I are good companions. Perhaps I’ve been more a friend than you all have to her, and yet I’m the one behind bars.” Loki snarled. Tony laughed while shaking his head.

“Probably. I would definitely say you’re up there, right next to your big brother. Wow you really have a thing for gods don’t you?” Tony smirked, looking at Alice who just blushed in return. “Regardless, she likes you…somehow. In fact, I paid you a visit here today because she likes you so much.”

“Are you going to ban her from seeing me? Lock me in a cell even further under the ground?” Loki said sharply. His lips twitched in anger. “What exactly are you going to do to me this time, Stark?”

“Set you free.” Tony said, looking directly into the god’s eyes. For the first time, Tony saw no anger, no malice, just confusion and relief.

Loki was shocked. His hardened posture softened, and his lips parted. His face became pliant. Loki’s arms dropped to his side as his eyes widened. His heart was racing and his hands were visibly shaking. He must have been dreaming. 

“What?” It was the only thing that Loki could say. His head was swimming. This must be another one of Stark’s tricks. Maybe Loki should give up his trickster title to the man before him.

“You heard me Dracula. I want to set you free.” Tony said, crossing his arms. The smile on Alice’s face grew even larger. So that’s what had her so happy.

Loki could not believe what he was hearing. Freedom. Would he finally taste freedom again after so long of being confined within these four walls? Would he finally breathe in the sweet air once more? Would he finally be able to touch Alice?

It was ironic, actually. Loki was craving his freedom, getting drunk on the idea of being released into the free world. He longed for the thing he had tried to take from the people of Midgard long ago. Guilt swelled within his gut. 

Loki looked to Alice, her eyes shining with excitement. He bit his lip and stared at her, almost as if he wanted to read her mind. Shaking his head, he let out a small laugh. He couldn’t believe she had done this. She promised him that she would get him out of here. Had she truly succeeded? What lengths did she go to? Why did she do this? Did he really mean that much to her?

“Why?” Loki whispered, not sure whether he was asking Alice or Tony the question. Never the less, Tony was the one who answered.

“Alice thinks you’ve changed. She thinks that what you did in New York…it’s in the past. I’m not sure if I believe her, but I’ve heard you two together. You’re not such an evil guy, reindeer games. You’re quite the softy!” Tony chuckled, leaning on the glass. Loki rolled his eyes. This man may be letting him go but Loki would always find a spark of anger within himself towards Tony. 

“So I’m just to be let free to run wild? That’s not very smart.” Loki smirked, directing his attention towards Tony once again. 

“That’s why you’re not completely free.” Tony began. Loki raised his eyebrow. He knew there would be some sort of trap. “You’ll be free, conditionally. I tried to speak to daddy-dearest but he decided I wasn’t worthy enough to talk to him.”

“That’s the first smart thing Odin has done.” Loki chuckled to himself. Alice couldn’t help but let out her laughter. Tony ignored the comment.

“So, I had to send your brother there for me, and well, Odin doesn’t want you on Asgard still. He doesn’t think you’ve served a long enough punishment. Something about not being worthy or as cute as Thor or something.” Tony sighed dramatically. Loki groaned in disgust. He had figured Odin would continue to have his back turned on him. It was the way things always were. 

“Is the definition of my new-found freedom a cell with a window this time?” Loki said sarcastically. His eyes darted to Alice who shook her head while looking at her feet. She knew something. Is this why she was staying so silent?

“As much as I really would prefer that, it’s not the case. As of today you will be free to walk around Stark Tower and even outside of it, but if you take a single step outside the boundaries, you’ll be taken down before you can even put one of those pretty little smirks on your face.” Tony explained cautiously. His body was stiff as he stared down the trickster god. Loki gave no indication of how he felt. His face was blank in contemplation. After a few silent moments, he spoke.

“That cannot be all.” Loki whispered, looking at Tony. Tony smirked and shook his head.

“You may be crazy, but I have to admit, you are smart.” Tony tapped the glass with his finger. “You can’t be alone. You need to be watched. My tower is full of cameras that will watch your every move. If I find anything suspicious, you’ll be put back in here. Agreed?”

Loki paused, looking down to the ground. Conditional freedom. It was better than unconditional lock-down. Yes, he would be under constant watch, but he would be able to walk more than ten paces to the left and ten paces to the right. He would be able to breathe in air that hasn’t been constantly recycled. He would be able to stand face to face with Alice without a piece of glass in between.

“Agreed.” Loki spoke softly. Tony looked at him with caution before pulling out a small device. He input a lengthy code into it and within seconds, the golden barrier faded away. The gold tinge of the room faded as white lights filled the room. If there hadn’t been a barrier up only moments earlier, the room could be mistaken for a regular bedroom. 

Loki looked up, shocked at what he saw. There she was, with her hand out, and no barrier in between.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's no more glass between them!! I can't wait to share their first face-to-face encounter. Sorry for the mini cliffhanger, but I swear it will be worth it.


	13. First Touch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's the chapter we've all been waiting for!!! Thank you guys for all your love and support for this fic! It's already at over 1300 hits which is so much more I ever imagined it would get to!! Kudos and comments are always well appreciated, I love hearing what you guys have to say.
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 3840

Tony looked at the pair who stared at each other like it was their first time ever seeing each other. With a huff, he mumbled something about speaking to the guards on the new conditions before exiting the room. Once Alice heard the door shut, she took a small step forward.

“How did you do this, my sweet?” Loki asked, practically breathless in shock. Alice simply giggled and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

“It took a lot of convincing. A lot of begging. A lot of bargaining my future freedom.” Alice said, looking into the distance with a faint smile on her face. “But it was all worth it.” 

Loki swallowed a lump in his throat before stepping down from his cell. His feet touched the floor hesitantly, almost afraid that he would be shot for moving beyond the cell walls that were not even there. As he moved closer to Alice, he was truly able to drink in her beauty.

Without the golden hue from the glass, Loki was able to see her features clearly. Her eyes were green with a tinge of blue, resembling the oceans of Asgard. Her brown hair fell in soft waves around her face, resting gently against her cheek bones and flowing against her jaw. Her lips were pink as they curled into a smile, reflecting back at him. There was something shining in her eyes that Loki couldn’t read, despite how hard he tried.

She looked at him so longingly. Without the screen between them, she saw the true depths of him. Inky, raven hair that reached to his shoulders contrasted his pearly pale skin. His cheek bones were sharp like his jawline, showcasing his hollowed cheeks. His green eyes were dark, glowing like emeralds in the light. He was tall, incredibly tall. Alice couldn’t believe how truly fantastic he was up close. She knew he was beautiful, but standing here, he was perfect.

Loki held out his hand, shaking it slightly. Alice could see the purple and blue veins dancing through his wrist. Slowly, she placed her hand against his, their skin melting together for the first time. His hand was large and his fingers were spidery, and they were chilled like ice. Her palms were warm like Asgard’s summers, and Loki craved to feel more.

“Well, would you look at that.” Loki smiled, looking at their hands pressed together. “No glass.” 

“Not anymore.” Alice laughed, fascinated by this simple action. Carefully, she flicked her eyes up at him. “As long as you’re good and behave yourself, mister.” 

“For you, I’ll do my best.” Loki smiled with a sly tone in his voice. 

Something washed over him and before he could help it, he enveloped Alice in a tight hug. She squeaked at the unexpected act, yet quickly wrapped her own arms around his neck. Their bodies were pressed tightly together, and she could feel his cold breath against her neck. It sent chills up her spine being so close to him. For so long, she dreamed of this. She dreamed of holding him in her arms tightly, and now, she finally had that.

“Thank you.” Loki whispered, burying his face in her hair. It smelled like freshly cut roses. “You have shown me the most undeserved kindness. I will never be able to repay you, my rose.”

The new nickname caused Alice to blush. She was truly thankful that her face was pressed against Loki’s chest so he wouldn’t notice her red cheeks. She hummed against him, and after her cheeks cooled, she pulled back to look at him.

“I can’t believe that I’m actually, like, touching you.” She giggled. “This is unreal.” Alice sighed as she ran her hands down Loki’s arms, feeling the muscles twitch underneath. She felt the blush return to her cheeks, more intense this time around.

“Like what you feel?” Loki winked down at her. Alice gasped, her mouth parted in shock. She cleared her throat and shook her head.

“Not at all, I’m just trying to make sure you have no weapons hidden here.” She smirked. Loki rolled his eyes and leaned down closer to her.

“Do you really have no trust in me, Alice?” He basically purred into her ear. She was feeling terribly dizzy. He had such a chilling effect over her.

“I trust you more than I should.” She mumbled, looking into his sparkling eyes. She could feel his cool breath wave over her face. She ached to close the distance between them and kiss him. Alice was sure his lips felt like perfection.

“Wonderful.” Loki said simply, tilting his head back again and flashing a dazzling smile towards Alice. She quickly brushed some hair out of her face and tried to shake the thought of kissing him out of her mind.

“How about a personal tour of Stark Tower?” Alice suggested, her hands still resting against Loki’s body. Now that she had him close, she never wanted to let go. If her hands left him, she was afraid the wall would go back up between them, cutting them off from each other once again. 

“I would love nothing more than to tour Stark’s beloved home and make fun of every part of it.” Loki grinned down at Alice who just rolled her eyes. She tried to hold in her own chuckle but failed. 

“Alright well, first things first, you need to change.” Alice took a step back and looked at Loki’s robes. “The group isn’t happy about this, maybe wearing something a little less…intimidating will help them adjust more properly.” 

Loki looked down at his green and black robes. He looked back up at Alice, raising an eyebrow. The only Midgardian fashion he had picked up on were security’s armed uniforms and Tony’s ridiculous t-shirts. He would not be caught dead taking after Tony Stark’s fashion sense.

“What do you suggest then?” Loki asked with a raised eyebrow. Alice just hummed and tapped her cheek with her finger. 

“A suit. A nice one. It will make you look both polished and approachable.” She said while pointing up and down at him. 

“A suit?” Loki raised an eyebrow. Alice chuckled and nodded eagerly. 

“You know, dress pants, button up shirt, suit jacket, and a tie. I’m sure you’ve seen someone wearing one. Many men on Earth wear them. They’re a bit formal but I personally love them.” Loki took interest in this. If it would please her, then he would adorn himself in whatever this Midgardian clothing she was talking about is.

Loki hummed and suddenly, a green light washed over him. Before her eyes, Alice saw Loki’s Asgardian robes transform into a crisp suit. The jacket and pants were black, which contrasted the white dress shirt underneath. Around his neck, an emerald green tie appeared that matched the exact color of his eyes. Without the chunky robes, Alice saw his tall, lithe figure on display. He was lean, and the suit hugged his arms, showcasing his biceps. His waist was pulled in tight by the suit’s jacket, and his long legs were defined by the black pants. 

Alice swallowed and nodded. She was truly at a loss for words. She gave him a simple thumb’s up and turned towards the stairs. Her heart was racing after looking at Loki. She couldn’t understand this magical affect he held over her. 

“Well, let’s head out then.” She said softly, turning to look over her shoulder at him. Loki was adjusting the cuffs of his suit jacket when she looked at him. She was in awe of him. His beauty was unmatched. Of course he was a god, humans could never begin to look like that. Loki looked up and smiled his signature coy smile before walking towards her. He placed one of his hands on her waist, causing Alice’s breath to hitch and her heart to skip a beat.

“Lead the way, my rose.” 

 

**

 

“Brother!” was the first thing Loki heard when he entered the hallway. With a groan, he turned to see Thor walking towards them with arms open wide. Alice smiled and embraced Thor tightly. Thor lifted her off the ground a bit, burying his face in her neck, leaving Loki with a sting of jealousy in his chest. Once Thor placed her on the ground, Alice pulled back and stood next to Loki again, smiling up at him.

“I’m glad you’re finally out.” Thor smiled, patting his brother on the shoulder. Loki rolled his eyes yet put a grin on his pale face.

“As I am. I can finally have my fun with you again.” Loki purred sarcastically as Loki made a dagger appear out of thin air. He twirled it casually in his hand, his eyes never leaving his brother. Thor simply bellowed out in laughter. Alice just stared between the two. Loki couldn’t be serious, could he?

“I am eager for your jokes again, brother.” Thor laughed. “You look well.”

“I look Midgardian.” Loki huffed, allowing the beautiful dagger to vanish. “She forced me out of my robes.” 

Thor’s eyes widened and his mouth parted slightly. He looked between the pair as redness rose into his cheeks.

“You have been released for less than an hour and you two have already…”

“No!” Loki and Alice both shouted in unison. Alice covered her face with her hands, laughing quietly into them. 

“I meant that she made me change into Midgardian clothing as to not scare the mortals.” Loki smirked, running his left hand down the arm of his suit. Thor eyed his brother up and down, shooting him an approving look.

“It suits you.” Thor smiled, earning a chuckle from Alice.

“I see what you did there. He’s wearing a suit and you said it suits him.” She chuckled, followed by laughter from Thor. Loki just looked between the two of them.

“You’ll become accustomed to Earth humor soon.” She reassured Loki, patting him on the arm. No matter how many times she touched him, she never got sick of finally feeling the physical contact.

“I also come with some exciting news for you, brother!” Thor grinned widely. Loki took in a breath. “We will be sharing resting quarters! They have already moved a bed in for you and everything. You aren’t quite trusted to be left alone just yet so it is my duty to be your watchman while you rest.”

“I’d rather sleep in the cell.” Loki said with a straight face. Alice chuckled beside him.

“Oh, it’s not that bad. It’s just like the old times when we would have sleepovers together.” Thor smiled. Loki simply rolled his eyes at his brother.

“Can we also relive the parts of those sleepovers where I would stab you in the middle of the night?” Loki questioned, being completely serious. Thor let a laugh out.

“If it pleases you brother then of course. I’ll just electrocute you in return.” Thor was too happy. He was always smiling, but bantering with his brother put an extra-large smile onto his face.

“Glorious, I cannot wait.” Loki growled sarcastically. 

“Well, enjoy your time at the tower. It was odd for me at first but you will get used to it.” Thor said, waving his hand around. Thor glanced over to Alice. 

“Oh, I’m thrilled.” Loki smirked sarcastically. Despite his sarcastic tone, both Thor and Alice could tell that he was truly relieved. Suddenly, Thor threw his arms around Loki, pulling him into a tight hug. Loki’s arms remained at his sides while shock took over his face.

“I’m so happy to see you walk free again, brother. I’ve missed you dearly.” Thor mumbled against his brother, so only Loki could hear. Before Loki had a chance to respond, Thor pulled back and bid them goodbye, walking down the hall the other way. Loki ran his hands down his suit, fixing the wrinkles from his brother’s embrace, the surprise still evident on his face. As Thor left, Alice turned towards Loki.

“Don’t worry, Thor’s room is actually right by mine. You could always sneak out to mine.” Alice smiled. Loki felt something pool in his stomach. He was considering sneaking into her room every night if it meant spending more time with her. “So, what would you like to do in your first moments of freedom?” She asked, looking into Loki’s green eyes. 

“I want to go outside.” Loki said simply while watching Alice’s lips curl up into a smile. She nodded her head and turned slightly.

“Good choice.” She hummed, taking Loki’s hand and pulling him down the hall. He knew his mind was playing tricks on him because his skin felt sparks when she touched him. What he didn’t realize was that hers reacted just the same. 

Despite living in the tower for quite some time, Alice still managed to be the master at getting lost. She had attempted to locate a door to, well, anywhere outside and yet the only thing she managed to find were more and more hallways. She was embarrassed, to say the least, yet she tried to play it off as if she knew exactly where she was going.

Loki wasn’t so gullible.

He knew how easily Alice lost her place, and especially in a dwelling as expansive as Stark’s, he was sure that her impromptu tour of the building was simply to cover up the fact that she was completely lost. He would never tell her that he knew this though, she was too cute trying to explain every room they accidentally passed.

“Now if I’m not mistaken, the door to one of the balconies should be just to the left.” Alice mumbled, trailing slightly ahead of Loki. He followed her with an easy stride, his long legs covering twice the distance of her own. He walked slowly, his arms folded behind his back. He would never admit it, but Stark Tower was quite impressive. He would never give Tony the satisfaction of knowing that though. 

As Alice turned the corner, she had unceremoniously bumped into Steve. Their bodies crashed together and Steve caught her in his arms before she was able to go tumbling to the ground.

“Easy there, Al…” Steve’s words drifted off as he saw Loki looming behind her. He slowly released her, looking directly into Loki’s eyes. “Loki.” He regarded the god with a curt nod. Loki’s lips curled up into a grin.

“Captain America. Long time, no see.” Loki said smoothly, unfolding his arms from behind his back. He held out a long hand, extending the greeting to Steve. The blonde man looked at Loki cautiously before placing his hand in his.

“Congratulations on your newfound freedom.” Steve said, never taking his eyes off Loki. Alice’s stomach flipped, her nerves were a wreck. She had feared what would happen when Loki met his old enemies. She just didn’t believe it would be in this circumstance.

“Thank you. I appreciate your willingness to try and give me a chance.” Loki said slyly, yet both Alice and Steve could hear the true sincerity in his voice. Steve softened slightly, yet his guard was still up.

“Bargaining for your freedom was not easy but we did it.” Steve sighed, hooking his thumbs into his belt. Loki tilted his head slightly, confusion evident on his face. Holding up one hand in order to stop Loki from speaking, Steve took in a deep breath. “I was on your side in this fight. Don’t ask me why. Even I don’t know. But I’m willing to give anyone a second chance.”

Loki was at a loss for words. He had tried to kill this man in the past and yet he bargained to set him free. Loki knew that the Captain was a good man. He knew that he always fought for what was right. Did he truly see Loki as someone worthy of redemption? Even Alice was surprised at Steve’s actions. 

“Thank you, Captain. Truly. I don’t know how to begin to show you my gratefulness.” Loki spoke honestly. He looked over at Alice who was smiling at him softly. 

“You can begin by calling me Steve.” He said simply, tilting his head slightly. Loki nodded, the smile growing on his face. 

“Well, Steve, I thank you again.” Loki nodded. “Alice, here, was just about to show me where the balconies were.”

“I’ve been trying to find them for the past hour.” She mumbled under her breath. Both Steve and Loki looked at her. They had the same exact expression, it was almost humorous. 

“They’re just over here to the right.” Steve nodded in the direction of where to find the outdoor exit. 

“I swore you could have said they were just to our left, though, darling.” Loki smirked, eyes gleaming with mischief. Alice huffed and rolled her eyes.

“Yes, I know, I’m the queen of getting lost.” Alice groaned, glaring at Loki for exposing her mishap. He raised his hands in defense and shook his head slightly.

“I’ll let you two get back to your date.” Steve smirked, winking at Alice. Her cheeks lit up with embarrassment. “Be good.” Steve nodded, looking at both Alice and Loki. She was unsure who he was directing his order towards. Steve walked away from the pair as they turned towards the proper direction. From beside her, Alice heard Loki chuckling.

“Queen of isolation and getting lost?” He poked fun at her, earning another blush to rise to her cheeks. “Does one have anything to do with the other?”

“Really?” She raised an eyebrow at him, trying to keep his relaxed pace. Loki simply chuckled softly.

“Did you wander into the woods one day, get lost, and couldn’t find your way back so you simply settled for isolation rather than frustration?” Loki smirked. Alice rolled her eyes.

“Ha-ha, very funny.” She punched him lightly in the arm. “You know why I was a loner for so long.”

Loki paused. His feet stood steadily in place. Alice turned to face him, confused as to why he refused to continue moving.

“You know I do not.” He whispered. Loki looked deeply into her eyes, trying to find answers. She sighed, pushing some hair behind her ear. 

“I told you, I went into the forest to avoid hurting people.” 

“Yes, but why?” Loki asked, walking closer to her. “You told me this yet you refuse to tell me why you did such a thing.” 

“It’s a story for another time.” Alice muttered while looking down at her shoes. Loki put a long, pale finger under her chin, tilting her head up to lock their eyes. Her breath hitched, they were so close. Her eyes flicked down to his lips. So close…

“Will you ever tell me, little bird?” Loki whispered. His eyes were filled with concern. Alice knew telling him everything would only be fair. He had told her so much about himself that he had kept hidden from everyone else. Yet, every time she believed she could, the words got stuck in her throat. She choked on the memories, and decided hiding them away just a bit longer would save everyone the pain. However, as she looked into Loki’s deep green eyes, she could tell that he wanted to know everything about her. He wouldn’t hurt her. He wouldn’t take advantage of what she could do. He wanted to help relieve her burden.

“One day, yes, but it’s just too hard to talk about it still.” Alice sighed, avoiding Loki’s intense gaze. She reached beside her and took his other hand in her own. “I promise I will soon.” She said with a forced smile. Loki could see the fake happiness she was showing him, but he decided not to press any further. He nodded slowly, then requested they continue their walk outside. 

When Alice and Loki finally reached the door, she pulled it open, letting the fresh air from outside enter into the building. She walked out into the sunlight, warming her chilled skin. Loki followed slowly, taking in the sights and smells. Alice turned to him, seeing him like a deer caught in headlights. He was like a kid in a candy store. He wasn’t a villain; he was just a boy in this moment.

“I never thought I’d be outside like this again.” Loki smiled, closing his eyes to absorb in the sun. He almost felt like he was back on Asgard, sitting on his balcony in the palace, looking over the city as the sun radiated against him. He could practically hear the clamor of the Asgardians below him as he stood over the glorious land. 

Alice simply watched him stand on the balcony. He was taking in deep breaths of the air, almost like it was his last time breathing. She felt so terrible that he hadn’t been able to breathe in clean air for God knows how long. She could practically hear him purr in content.

“Thank you for this, again.” Loki said softly with his eyes still closed. The sun was dancing along his pale skin. He looked like a marble statue.

“You need to stop thanking me, Loki.” Alice smiled, her eyes never leaving his form. He opened his eyes, turning his head towards her slowly. He simply shook his head, letting his black hair curl around his shoulders from his movements. Alice bit her lip, she wanted to run her hands through those locks, pulling him close and never let go. 

She pushed the thought aside. She wasn’t supposed to be thinking the things that had constantly occupied her mind. She wasn’t supposed to want to hold his hand. She wasn’t supposed to want to run her hands through his hair. She wasn’t supposed to want to kiss him. But she did want it. 

Loki looked at her with such adoration that these thoughts couldn’t help but occupy her mind. She wondered if he had thought about her in the same way. ‘Probably not, he is a god from Asgard, he’s probably seen much more alluring women in his time,’ Alice thought. She laughed quietly to herself, knowing how foolish she was being. He was a friend, and he saw her as no more than that. She was a human, and he was a god who outmatched her in everything. The sooner she saw that, the sooner she would be content. She would no longer dream of him in the ways she did. The desires she secretly held for him would fade, and she would be happy with just standing beside him, not wanting anything more. 

She knew it was foolish, they barely knew each other. They had only been able to touch for under a day. Despite this, she felt so connected to him. Loki poured his heart out to her, and she only wanted to hear more and more. She was a listening ear, nothing more. 

Yet, she wondered if maybe in another reality, he may feel the same about her.

He did. He always would.


	14. Dining with the Devil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I wrote, deleted, and rewrote this chapter like four times. I just couldn't get it right omg. Anyway, thank you guys for all the love and feedback!! Comments and kudos are always well appreciated and I hope all of you are having beautiful days!! I love you all!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 2659

“Will you be joining us for breakfast tomorrow?” Alice asked, walking Loki to Thor’s room. They had spent the whole day just relaxing outside. Midgard was more beautiful than Loki had thought it to be.

“Us?” Loki asked, looking at her with confusion. Alice nodded and a small smile crept onto her face.

“Every morning, we all get together for breakfast. Some people can’t make it every day of course, but it would be lovely if you could join.” Alice said. Loki tilted his head as a sly grin worked its way onto his face.

“Do you really think dining with all of the Avengers is the best idea? Aren’t you concerned about their safety if I’m present?” Loki mocked while conjuring a dagger from thin air. Alice gasped, staring at the knife. His tricks never failed to amaze her.

“Put that away!” She giggled, shoving his arm away from her. “I know you’re joking but the guards won’t.” Alice pointed to a few guards standing just a few feet away from them. Ever since Loki was released, she had noticed a heavier presence of the armed men. 

Loki rolled his eyes and the dagger vanished. They had continued their journey as Loki thought of the next morning. Ideally, dining with everyone at once may be easier. He knew Alice and Thor would help him through it, and maybe he would try to play nice with everyone (except Tony of course). He bit his lip as they reached the end of a long hallway where Alice paused. 

“Here you are.” She gestured to the room on the left. “Your brand new room, right across the way from mine.”

“If Thor decides to start a pillow fight I might just need to come round to yours.” Loki winked causing Alice’s cheeks to light up red. 

“I can’t promise that I won’t start one either.” She smirked, earning a light laugh from Loki.

“I’m not safe anywhere, maybe I’ll just return back to my cell.” He blew out a breath, acting annoyed. Alice lightly hit his stomach. 

“Fine then. You have fun down there.” She sighed dramatically. With a whip of her hair, Alice turned towards her room. Suddenly, a cold hand grasped her wrist, pulling Alice directly against Loki’s body.

“I would but I fear you may miss me too much.” Loki purred. Alice’s heart was pounding in her chest. She was so close to him. He probably heard her heart racing.

“You’re full of yourself.” Alice mumbled. His breath was brushing against the edges of her skin, causing the hairs on her arms to raise. 

Loki had to bite his tongue. He had to hold himself back. Everything in his body told him to kiss her. She was right in front of him, her beautiful green eyes wide with surprise. Her hair was messy from the wind outside and her cheeks were flushed red from their contact. Loki suppressed the feeling to wrap his arms tighter around her and bring her completely flush against him.

“Yet another reason for the almighty Avengers to dislike me.” Loki rolled his eyes and pulled away. Alice’s stomach dropped at the loss of contact. She wouldn’t mind staying in his arms like that forever.

“Everyone will enjoy you once they get to know you, I’m sure.” Alice offered a small smile. Loki’s smile faded and his lips pressed into a tight line. His brow furrowed as he took a deep sigh.

“They do know me. They know me as a murderer and a sadistic villain.” He spat. He tried not to let everyone’s opinions bother him. But he knew what they thought of him and he knew it would be impossible to change. He understood why they hated him. He just wished he could be given a completely clean state, though he knew he didn’t deserve it.

“But that’s not who you are.” Alice said softly. She was hoping he wouldn’t fall angry. Alice knew that Loki got angered easily. He’d never hurt her, but she hated seeing him in so much pain and agony. There was so much built up emotion that he rarely let out, so when he did reveal his feelings, they exploded like a volcano. Alice did her best to calm him, knowing that once he got into that mood, it may take hours to get him out of it.

“It was, though. It’s what they’ll remember. I could save a million people and they would only remember the lives I took.” Loki’s voice was teeming with both anger and sadness. Alice reached out to touch his arm. For some reason, the light touch immediately calmed him.

“That’s not true. If they knew the truth about what you did, then everything will change. It wasn’t me who did what I did and they forgave my actions.” Alice said without thinking. Loki looked up in confusion.

“What do you mean?” Loki asked as Alice realized she had spilled some of her past.

“Come to breakfast tomorrow, please?” She asked, ignoring his question.

“Alice, you just…”

“Please. Not tonight.” She begged with her eyes. Loki sighed and nodded, running a hand through his hair. He was beginning to fear she may never reveal that part of herself to him. After all he shared with her, could she not find it in herself to trust him?

“Fine, I understand.” He said softly. Alice smiled and thanked him. “What time is breakfast?” 

“Eight o’clock. Fourth floor dining hall.” She smiled eagerly, her hand tightening around his arm. He pulled her into a hug, resting his face against her rose-scented hair. She tightened her arms around him, wanting to feel him as close as possible. When he pulled away, Alice’s cheeks were flushed red, yet again, and a beautiful smile filled her face. The sight made Loki’s heart soar to magnificent heights.

“Then I will see you in the morning.” Loki smiled, taking one of her hands in his. “Sweet dreams, my rose.” He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed the skin gently. Alice’s mouth parted, surprised at the contact. His lips on her skin were so soft and they sent a chill up her spine. She wanted to feel them against her own. 

“Goodnight.” Alice barely squeaked out before retreating to her room. Once she was inside with the door closed, she slid down onto the floor and held her head in her hands. She groaned and shook her head.

“Loki, what are you doing to me?” She whispered to no one but herself. 

 

**

 

The next morning, Alice had been nervously sat at the large dining table. Her leg was shaking as the awaited the arrival of Loki and Thor. No one knew that he would be joining them and their reactions quite frankly terrified her.

She knew they would all be shocked, of course. Rightfully so, many may be angry. She was terrified that a fight would break out between them. She would have to choose a side. 

She was most nervous about Clint. He was so hostile when it came to Loki, but Alice completely understood. If he had done the same to her, she would refuse to accept him too. Alice just said silent prayers and hoped for the best.

The room went silent as Thor and Loki entered. Loki tried to appear as confident and indifferent, and to any normal person he may seem so, but Alice could tell that he was scared. Thor had his arm around his brother and greeted everyone with his usual bright smile. Everyone was silent as they watched Thor and Loki cross the room, taking seats next to Alice. She whispered her greetings to both of them, keeping a watchful eye on Loki.

“Ah, pancakes.” Thor smiled, filling a plate with the breakfast food. “Loki, you must try these golden disks of wonder.” Loki smiled softly, taking one and putting it on a plate. Everyone watched him as if he was about to start attacking them.

Loki reached around to grab a knife in order to cut his food, yet once his hand touched the utensil, Natasha reached for her own knife, gripping the handle as if to throw it. Loki noticed her sudden movement and sighed. He raised an eyebrow and chuckled.

“It’s a butter knife. Who would ever dare to hurt someone with a butter knife?” He smirked, waving the knife around. Thor clapped him on the back.

“My brother is right. He only uses his finest daggers to stab me.” Thor laughed, his mouth full of pancakes. Loki rolled his eyes.

“Not helping.” He barked quietly. 

“I’m just taking the necessary precaution.” Natasha hissed, sliding her hand away from the knife. Even in her casual clothing, she looked vicious and fierce. 

“I have a strong belief that such precaution will not be necessary.” Loki warned her softly. His eyes were locked with hers, and the tension in the room was heavy and humid. Everyone could sense it.

“I have strong beliefs of my own. I plan on sticking to them.” Natasha snarled. Loki rolled his eyes and took a deep breath. Alice placed her hand on his knee, doing anything to try and keep him calm. 

“If that pleases you, Miss Romanoff, then so be it.” He sighed. Suddenly, Loki wasn’t hungry. He just wanted to go back to his confinements and sulk in peace. This would never work.

Natasha had gone back to eating, yet the room was still silent. Alice flicked her eyes around the room, and noticed mostly everyone doing the same. Only one person looked completely at ease, and that was Bucky. 

Bucky looked across the table at her and smiled, almost as if to reassure her that he trusted her decision. She mouthed “thank you” at him. He was a kind soul, much gentler than he would appear. He nodded slightly and cleared his throat.

“Has Alice put together a to-do list for you, Loki?” Bucky said dryly, looking directly into Loki’s eyes. It was something very few people would do without malice or intimidation behind it. Loki looked at him and tilted his head.

“A what?” He questioned, putting his fork down.

“A to-do list. Tony put one together for me once I snapped out of my trance. It was full of movies, books, and pop-culture references. It helps you get used to the time you are in.” Bucky explained. Steve nodded from beside him. “Or I guess for you, the planet you’re on.”

“He did the same for me. It really helped.” Steve said, offering a small smile to the dark man. Loki knew what the men were trying to do, and he appreciated it more than they would ever believe. Loki hummed and nodded.

“This does sound helpful. I do seem rather lost in this realm sometimes.” Loki admitted. “Any suggestions?” Loki asked as he turned his head to look at Alice. She nodded eagerly. 

“Harry Potter.” She said, earning a small nod from Steve.

“Wizards and witch craft.” Tony said, speaking up for the first time since Loki and Thor entered the room. “Something you’re quite used to. Maybe it’ll be your biography!” Loki scoffed and waved his hand, conjuring a pen and a pad of paper. He scribbled down Harry Potter in his elegant hand writing. 

“Star Wars, another classic.” Steve said, pointing his chin at the paper for Loki to write it down.

“Mario Kart, one of my personal favorites.” Bucky grinned. Loki flashed him a smile as he wrote down the name of the game. It was his first time speaking to the metal-armed-man, but he was already beginning to like him. 

“You only like it because it’s the only game you can beat me at.” Clint spoke for the first time. Loki looked over to the man, offering him a sad look. Clint just nodded curtly at him. Loki made a mental note to speak to the man privately. He knew he destroyed him. “Back to the Future. They’re great movies.” Clint said, looking back down at his plate. His fork was just poking at the food on his plate, showing how uncomfortable he was. Loki nodded and wrote down the film. 

“Thank you.” Loki said. He had hoped Clint could hear the pleading in his voice. Clint didn’t look back up, almost as if he didn’t hear it.

Slowly, but surely, everyone began giving Loki a list of things to research, play, or watch. Everyone except for Natasha, of course. Alice felt relief swelling her in, noting that the team members were dropping their guards. Loki had even told a few jokes, earning laughter from everyone. She looked over at Thor, who was visibly excited that his brother was being accepted into the group.

As everyone began to clean up and get ready to begin their individual schedules, Alice pulled Bucky aside. Immediately, she embraced him in a tight hug, trying to show her gratitude.

“That really broke the ice, thank you.” She smiled against his chest. Alice felt his chest vibrate in a gentle chuckle.

“I know the feeling of being shut out for what you did. I just wanted to help.” Bucky said as he pulled back from the hug. 

“And you did.” A new voice spoke. Bucky looked up to find Loki standing behind Alice. He had a small smile on his face, presenting himself with caution. “Thank you, sir.” Loki said softly, holding his hand out to Bucky. Bucky met his hand and shook it, looking him right in his green eyes.

“No problem.” Bucky said slowly. Alice looked at the two men, realizing how similar they may be. It gave her hope that maybe the rest of the group would come to accept Loki as well as they had with Bucky.

As Alice watched the two jump into easy conversation, she felt a hand rub against her shoulder. She turned to see Natasha standing behind her with an unimpressed look on her face. She gestured her head in a way of saying ‘follow me’. The ladies crossed the room when Natasha began to speak.

“I don’t like this.” Natasha said bluntly. Alice nodded and ran a hand through her hair.

“I figured that.” Alice sighed. 

“He’s not a good person, Alice. He’s dangerous. How do you know he isn’t just using you?” Natasha asked, her eyes constantly flickering over Alice’s shoulder to look at Loki. She could see Loki looking at Alice while Bucky spoke to him. 

“I trust him.” Alice admitted. She had no other reason than that.

“Bad idea.” Natasha warned her. “He’s going to hurt you. He’s going to use you. He’s going to get you close and then crush you. Get away while you can.”

“Nat…” Alice trailed off. She wasn’t sure what to say. Loki would never do those things to her. He liked her…didn’t he?

“I say this because I care about you. You’re one of the few people who doesn’t regularly piss me off. I don’t want him hurting you.” Natasha said as she placed her hands on Alice’s shoulders. Alice gave her a faint smile.

“Thank you, but I know he would never hurt me.” Alice shrugged. Natasha rolled her eyes and shook her head, obviously frustrated with the younger woman.

“Do you know that or is that what you want to believe?” Natasha asked finally before turning and walking away. Alice simply stood there and watched her walk away. Confusion and doubt swam throughout Alice’s head. As she was trying to process everything, a soft voice caught her attention.

“I would never do such a thing.” Loki whispered in her ear. She turned to look at him, seeing the sadness in his eyes. He had heard everything. “I will do anything and everything in my power to prove that to you.”

“You don’t need to prove anything.” She smiled. “I trust you.” 

“You’re the only one who does.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Natasha literally hates Loki so much ouch.


	15. Invasions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!! Another chapter!! The comments on the last chapter were sooo amazing to read, as always, and I thank you guys yet again for inspiring me to continue writing!
> 
> Sad news though, I'll be away until September 5th (I'm going to Disney World!). So this will be the last update until Wednesday or Thursday :( Nevertheless, I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated!
> 
>  
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 2852

It had been two weeks since Loki had been released from his cell. He was under constant watch by the guards of the tower and by the Avengers. Every movement earned a flick of the eye in his direction. He had attempted to get along with everyone, never once summoning a threatening dagger. A few members were growing kinder to him, except for Natasha.

Every time Loki attempted to converse with her, she would sneer and turn her head. If anyone else was anywhere near, Natasha would pull them away, hoping to break the connection between the two. Loki understood her hatred but he desired a second chance. He knew he would never win her over.

It was frustrating, yet the moments with Alice made it worth it.

Whenever she was near, which was more often than not, she would treat him as if he was any other delightful person. She was gentle with him, always looking directly into his eyes and listening to his words. She enjoyed his stories and begged him to continue sharing with her.

Every morning, they would dine together. Following that, Alice would train while Loki watched, he himself practicing his seidr in his privacy. The two would then typically lounge outside, if Alice wasn’t called into a meeting with her team. The rest of the day would vary, but it would always end with Loki walking her to her room, kissing the back of her hand, and sending her off to bed. For the first time in years, she wouldn’t have a single nightmare as long as he pressed that gentle kiss to the back of her hand. 

Alice also continued to open up to him, yet she continued to stay silent about what she had done when she was younger. Every time Loki was sure she was about to tell him, her cheeks would turn rosy, her eyes would water, and she would seem to drift off to another world. Whenever it happened, Loki would simply reach over to her and press his hand against her shoulder, rubbing it slightly. Instantly, she would relax into his touch, thank him, and move onto a subject that didn’t cause her so much agitation. 

At this moment, Loki had been watching Alice through the glass screen of one of the training rooms. He had not been given permission to enter the rooms yet, for everyone feared he may take advantage of the weapons readily available in them. She had been training in hand-to-hand combat with Bucky for about an hour. Her other typical sparring partner would be Thor, but he had travelled to another realm about a week ago. Ever since she had been harmed so badly during her first mission, Steve and Tony insisted she practice more on physical combat instead of relying on her powers.

Every now and then, Loki could see a flicker of fire ignite in her palm, aiding her in her attacks towards Bucky. He greatly enjoyed seeing the smaller girl get a good hit in. Whenever she would successfully take him down, Alice would look through the glass towards Loki, who would give her a smile and a nod of approval. 

“She looks good, huh?” A voice spoke from behind Loki. He turned to see Steve standing over him. Loki felt a twinge of jealousy inside of him. 

“Yes, absolutely perfect.” Loki said through his teeth. He heard Steve hum from behind him as he walked closer to the glass. 

“She’s really good. The fact that she can take on Bucky and Thor is really impressive. She’s got skill.” Steve smiled fondly while looking forward. Loki rolled his eyes and closed the book in his lap.

“Impressive, indeed.” Loki mumbled. Yes, he was proud of her. Yet, he found it difficult to see her involved in such harsh combat when all he wanted was for her to be safe.

“I’ve been watching over her during these sessions. She’s really improved. Maybe she won’t get all busted up next time she’s in the field.” Steve sighed, remembering how painful it was hearing her cries as she was getting attacked. 

“Maybe if you had watched over her better she wouldn’t have gotten hurt.” Loki hissed. Steve turned back to the god and rolled his eyes.

“Why so hostile all of a sudden, Loki?” Steve asked as he crossed his arms. Loki stood, walking directly in front of the other man. 

“She shouldn’t be engaging in the danger that you all are putting her in. I care dearly for her safety and it seems as though that is precisely what she doesn’t have.” Loki sighed, looking at Alice through the glass. She was currently hugging the metal-armed-man, earning a flip in Loki’s stomach.

“Why do you think we’re training her? Improving her skills will only help her. She wanted this.” Steve explained. They could hear the sound of Bucky and Alice fighting again in the background. 

“Did she want this? Or did Stark want it?” Loki snarled, his green eyes igniting with anger. He never wanted to see Alice hurt in the way she had been before. He would do anything to keep her safe, and throwing her into the middle of combat was certainly not a way to obtain that. 

“We all agreed on it.” Steve gave him harsh eyes.

“She fears violence. Why would she be so eager to become involved with it?” Loki crossed his arms. Steve shook his head.

The two were so busy bickering that they almost didn’t hear the scream coming from inside the training chamber. Their heads both turned with a snap, seeing Alice on the ground with Bucky’s arms wrapped around her. She was clutching at her head as her voice wailed in pain. 

“Get Tony.” Steve said bluntly before he quickly ran through the door that entered the training room. The door swung closed before Loki could follow, leaving him trapped to watch Alice scream through the glass. His fingers scraped at the surface, wishing he could help. Yet, there was nothing he could do. He felt so helpless, as if he was back in the cells again with only a sheet of glass separating them. 

Steve ran to Alice, grabbing her arms. He looked to Bucky who sat there holding her, trying to ease her out of the episode.

“What happened?” Steve barked, stroking his hands along Alice’s arms. She was shaking violently, the shivers affecting her entire body.

“We were training and she went to light a fire and she just snapped. She collapsed to the floor screaming. I’ve seen this before.” Bucky mumbled the last part, trying to help his friend out of the mental attack. “Here, hold her while I try to get her out of this.”

Bucky’s hands were trying to soothe Alice. Steve looked at Loki through the glass, his hands pressed to the surface. For a god so powerful, he looked so weak in this moment.

The room was filled with Alice’s cries. Tears were streaming out of her eyes. She grabbed Bucky’s arm, hoping to grip onto any sense of reality.

“Get out! Please! Leave me alone!” She screamed. Bucky knew she wasn’t talking to him. Someone had tapped into her mind. He knew the feeling all too well.

“Alice. It’s Bucky. It’s me. Bucky and Steve.” He said quietly, hoping his voice would pull her out. “You’re in training room 8C. We’re in Stark Tower. It’s us three in here. Steve is holding you up and my hands are on your arms.” 

Her cries began to quiet, but Bucky could see the fogginess still present in her eyes. She swallowed hard, silencing some of her weeps. 

“Loki’s here too.” Bucky whispered. Immediately, Alice looked to Bucky, her eyes clearing slightly.

“Loki.” It was all she said. It was enough to ground her. Steve looked at her in shock. Bucky continued to whisper to her, trying to get her to clear her head. It took several long minutes, but eventually she came out.

“What happened to you?” Steve asked once she had calmed down. Her eyes were focused on the floor.

“I…I don’t even know. One moment I was training, and the next I was just back at the Organization. It was like someone tried to bring me back to that mindset.” Alice explained as clearly as she could. Her words were slurred slightly, clearly still emerging from her episode. Her head was pounding and her throat was burning. “It felt like someone just took the reins, and I don’t know how.”

“Those people must still have control of your head. Somehow something triggered it and they were able to sneak back in.” Bucky explained, still rubbing her arm softly. Alice nodded through her exhaustion. She hadn’t felt anyone from her past try to creep back into her mind in what felt like years. Why all of a sudden have they tried to come back?

“What the hell happened?” The doors to the training room swung open and Tony rushed in. Alice looked up, and though she tried to look at Tony, her eyes couldn’t help but focus on the main standing behind him outside the room.

Loki.

He looked so hurt and scared. Alice tried to pull herself up but Steve held her down. He whispered to her that she needed to rest but she knew she needed to see Loki. She needed to tell him that she was okay. 

Loki looked at her through the glass. He knew he would be no help to her here. He had no idea what had happened, and Bucky was somehow able to aid her. In his head, Loki believed he would just be a distraction at this point. With one final look at Alice, he turned and walked away.

“Loki.” Alice whispered softly as she saw the raven-haired man walk away. She swallowed a lump in her throat while reaching an arm out as if to make him stay. 

He was already gone.

 

**

 

The rest of the day was a blur for Alice. She was being guarded by Bucky and Tony the entire time. They refused to let her be in isolation, despite her insisting she was fine to be left alone. She knew they were worried for her, as she was worried for herself as well, yet she was completely exhausted. All she wanted to do was curl up on a couch and listen to Loki tell her another fabulous story.

Maybe it was Loki missing from her day that caused her so much distress. She felt lost without him and found herself constantly worrying about him. She couldn’t even find Thor a way to talk to Thor, wherever he was, to ask him where he thought Loki may be in this mindset. Alice felt sick remembering the look on his face when he turned his back on her. She just needed to see him.

Alice had just finished her session with Bucky, Tony, and Bruce. They were trying to figure out how someone had tapped into her mind without physically being there. Bruce had her completely wired up to some machines that him and Tony were analyzing. Bucky, however, was just sitting next to her, resting his hand on her arm. The two scientists were speaking quickly with complicated language, causing Bucky to just chuckle.

“They’re crazy.” He laughed. Alice smiled at him as best she could. Bucky could tell she was holding herself back. “Why don’t we try to get you out of here?”

Alice nodded, resting her head back on the chair she was in. She was completely and utterly exhausted. Her legs felt like jelly even though she barely used them. Her eyes were heavy and all she wanted to do was collapse in bed and pass out. Bucky cleared his throat, earning the attention of Bruce and Tony.

“I think we’re done for today. It’s late and she’s exhausted.” Bucky offered. Tony sighed while Bruce just nodded.

“I agree. Any more stress on her today will just make her more susceptible so something happening tomorrow.” Bruce said quietly. He began to shut down the programs while Tony just looked at Alice.

“Let’s head back to your room then, kid.” Tony said, cleaning up his workspace. Bucky just shook his head.

“I’ll take her back. Don’t worry.” Tony gave Bucky a look, yet let him take her. Before they left however, Bruce took Alice’s arm and pulled her toward him gently.

“He was here.” Bruce said cautiously. “Loki.” 

Alice’s breath caught in her throat. She raised an eyebrow at him and pleaded him to explain. She hadn’t seen Loki all day and the vision of him walking away from her haunted her mind Bruce simply sighed and adjusted his glasses.

“He came here looking for a way to help you. He was so stressed out when I couldn’t answer him right away that he almost destroyed the lab.” Bruce chuckled. “He wasn’t sure what to do, and I think for a man like him, being unsure is something that never really happens.”

Alice looked into Bruce’s eyes for any indication of a lie. There was nothing but truth. Suddenly, Alice felt a pool of relief swell in her. Loki wasn’t disgusted or hurt by her, he was simply worried. It made her even more anxious to see him.

“Thank you, Bruce.” Alice smiled while squeezing her hand over his arm in a sign of thanks. She turned to Bucky who was waiting for her to leave with him. He looked confused but didn’t ask her any questions, he knew better than to press on.

The two walked slowly back to Alice’s room. The entire time, Alice felt her body slowly giving out. She just needed to sleep. Bucky kept his arm hooked around her, holding most of her weight in his grip. 

“Will you be okay to be alone tonight?” Bucky asked softly as they approached her room. He was nervous sick for his friend. He knew what it was like to be completely vulnerable to these attack and he would do anything to stop them from happening to her again. Alice nodded.

“Yeah, I’ll be okay. Besides, I’m right next to Thor. He’ll protect me if he ever returns from wherever he is.” She smiled. Bucky raised an eyebrow.

“You’re also right next to Loki.” He winked. Alice blushed and shook her head. 

“I just wish I could have seen him today. I hated seeing him that way.” She admitted finally out loud. 

“Give him a day. By the morning he’ll be trying to sweep you off your feet again.” Bucky smirked before turning around and walking away. 

“What the hell are you talking about?” Alice gasped. 

“Goodnight.” He called from behind his back. 

“Bucky!” Alice barked. She heard Bucky laughing as he turned the corner. Alice smiled, but the goodnight felt distant. It wasn’t the same without Loki’s cool lips pressed to the back of her hand. 

Alice walked into her room, and changed quickly into her night clothing. She was so exhausted that she practically fell into bed, her mind secretively wishing for a raven-haired man to be at her side as she dozed off.

 

**

 

Alice woke up screaming. Her room was dark and her forehead covered in sweat. The sound was piercing as she hugged her knees to her chest. She heard someone banging at the door to her room as she lit an intense fire in her hand, ready to throw it at the intruder.

“Darling, what happened?” Loki ran into the room, daggers at the ready. Upon seeing him, Alice distinguished the flame and began letting tears flow from her eyes. Loki dropped the daggers and came to her bedside, climbing next to her. “My rose, please, why are you in tears? What made you scream?”

He wrapped his arms around her and she buried her head in his chest. He smelled like home. She grabbed onto him as if he were to drift away if she wasn’t touching him.

“Where did you go today?” She cried, tears staining his clothing. She already knew the story but she needed the validation. She needed to hear it from him. Loki sighed and rubbed her back.

“I couldn’t help you. I felt lost. So, I left. I left to go talk to Bruce. I wanted to learn what to do to help you. By the time I returned, you were nowhere to be found, my rose.” Loki said softly, brushing his cold fingers through her hair. Alice sucked in a tight breath and pulled backwards. She stared at Loki in the dark, wishing so badly just to reach up and press her lips to his.

“Loki, I must tell you something.” She whispered. 

“Anything, Alice.” Loki answered, his brows knit tightly. Alice swallowed, looking down at her hands that gripped at Loki’s clothes. They were trembling and her palms were clammy. Her heart was racing and fear trickled through her veins. Despite this, she spoke her next words with confidence.

“I need to tell you about my past.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo....cliffhanger...again. I'm sorry!!


	16. War and Peace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Mentions of abuse, murder, and suicide. If these topics make you uncomfortable, a summary will be posted at the end of the chapter!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back from Disney with new Marvel merch I am living my best life!! I'm soooo excited to finally reveal Alice's past to you guys, it's been a long time coming! 
> 
> Also, now that my classes have started again (balancing college and work can be tough), I think I figured out that I'll be uploading twice a week on wednesdays and saturdays so updates will definitely becoming more consistent.
> 
> Thank you guys so much for reading and thank you for your patience with this chapter! Comments and kudos are always welcome and loved a lot! Enjoy!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 3543

Loki looked at the crying girl in shock. For so long he had tried to ease the conversation from Alice’s lips. He was sure she was not in the proper state of mind to hold this discussion.

“Are you positive? You don’t seem in the right state of mind to…” Loki didn’t finish. He simply brought Alice close to him again as another wave of tears washed over her. After a few minutes of silence, she spoke.

“I need to. If I don’t say it now, I’m afraid I’ll never be able to.” Alice croaked. Loki nodded and adjusted himself so he could look her in the eyes. She was biting her lip, nerves clearly taking a toll on her.

“If that is what you want then speak it so. If you need to stop, I will not press on. Take your time.” Loki said softly. She had always been so reassuring and careful with him whenever he would tell his own stories. It was time for Loki to repay her back in the same way. Alice closed her wet eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm her voice before she started speaking.

“I was very young when my parents found out I had powers. Maybe about six years old.” Alice began slowly, taking long breaths in between her words. “It started when I was being chased down by some kids from my school. They pushed me onto the ground and before I knew it, the grass around me was on fire. Those kids never bothered me again after that.” She smirked, eliciting a gentle laugh from Loki.

“My parents were a bit disturbed by it but we tried to continue life as usual. Yet, as the months went on, I would have random outbursts. I’d burn the table cloth, soak the floor with water, and I never understood how. I was too young to realize that I was any different from other children, yet there I was. My mother hated me. It bothered her to have a child that was so talked about by the rest of the town. I brought shame on our family, she had told me. She would hardly ever look my way. Days went by where I wouldn’t see her, but my father…he was always kind. He was always trying to help me or calm me down. Then, after about a year of this, my parents took me to a place called the Organization of Extraordinary Adolescence.” Alice paused, her grip on Loki tightening. “My mom practically threw me from the car. She didn’t even look back after she told me to get out. I never saw her again after that day. My father walked me up to the front steps with my bags. He promised to see me every weekend. And he did.” 

Alice smiled to herself, remembering the memories of her father. He was a distant figure now, and her recollection of his voice and face were fading day by day, but she still loved him dearly.

“The Organization was nice at first. I had my own room and three meals a day. I was able to practice my powers with other students and teachers. For an eight-year-old, I felt very in control. It would also help to see my father on weekends. I would show him what I learned and he would always be so proud. Like I said before, mother never showed up. It was only father for the longest time. He came around for about two years of visits. And then, he…” Alice paused, swallowing a thick lump in her throat. Loki rubbed his hand along her back.

“What happened?” He said softly, hoping that she would continue.

“He died. The teachers told me that he and mother died in a car accident.”

“Alice, I’m so sorry.” Loki hugged her as a new wave of tears rushed from her. She cried for a long time, the memories too painful for her to speak. Loki simply held her, kissing the crown of her head occasionally. After a while, she finally calmed down enough to speak.

“Are you alright to continue, my rose?” Loki brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Alice nodded and wiped the salty tears from her eyes with the back of her hands. Loki lifted a hand and conjured a box of tissues in his palm. Alice chuckled and swiped a tissue, mouthing thank you to her friend.

“After my parents died, everything changed.” Alice’s eyes went dark and her expression become grim. “I was stripped from my room and thrown into a chamber, of sorts, with nine other kids. The teachers who were once so loving and supportive became abusive. We went through torture every day in order for them to utilize our powers for their own purposes. They starved us, beat us, and abused us mentally in any way that a person could be. I was stripped from my clothing, forced to live naked as they inflicted pain upon me. Everyday was a living nightmare. 

“They focused on my fire. That’s the reason I can use it with so much force without getting tired. I never was able to perfect the water, air, and earth, which is why I get so tired using those elements in large amounts. In their eyes, fire was destructive, and that was exactly what they wanted.” Alice’s voice was full of hate and anger. She was finally letting everything out that she had kept hidden deep down for so long. 

“When I was about fourteen was when the mind control began. They honed in on our fears, telling us that if we were to trust in their ways, all of our fears would disappear and the abuse would only make us perfect. Once we hit that level, we would be basically gods. They promised that our suffering would end if we submitted to be under their control. We would be treated like royalty if we submitted.” Alice flashed her eyes at Loki who was holding his breath. “As a child suffering so much, you’re bound to believe them. You would do anything to escape the pain. So I gave in. I let them test me. Eventually, they broke through. They had every ounce of my mind under their control. All it took was a few triggers and I was their slave. When I had hit that point, they named me The Phoenix. They said it was because with one motion, I could burn down a city. Little did I know that was exactly what they wanted.

“Then, when I was sixteen, my mind constantly under their control, they decided to use me. My fire was so strong that they felt I had finally become the perfect weapon. Strong powers and a controllable mind? What more could a leader of an army ask for?” Alice spat out. “So, they trained me harder and eventually, I was sent out. But that wasn’t before they cleansed me.”

“Cleansed you?” Loki pursed his lips in confusion. Alice gave a sour laugh.

“They made sure I would never be able to bear a child. It would be too much of a distraction. An easy way out.” Alice’s chest felt heavy as Loki’s eyes sunk to the bedsheets. He sighed and held her hand tightly, silently urging her to continue. “It was the second distraction they eliminated from my life.”

Alice turned to look at Loki who stared at her with confusion, interest, and pain. She tightened her grip on his hand and spoke.

“They murdered my parents. It wasn’t an accident. My father signed a form that stated if anything were to happen to them, the Organization would become my legal guardians. By killing them, there was no one connected to me. No one I could cry to. No one I could expose the Organization to. I was completely under their control and I belonged to them.” Alice said, sadness leaking through the anger in her words. 

“With my parents out of the picture and the dream of a future family to fix that out of the way, I was the perfect candidate for mental manipulation. Because my mind was under their control, they had me believe that I was destroying a city that was planning to eliminate the rest of the world. It was a city full of slavery and evil acts, they said. But it wasn’t. It was a city of innocents. It was a city full of people that were trying to take out the Organization. It was families. When I woke up that day for the mission, they suited me up and sent me out.”

Alice’s tears leaked from her eyes again at the memory. Loki wiped them with his tissues once more, trying to get her to look into his eyes. They were distant, they were somewhere else. He had to bring her back to him.

“Darling?” He whispered, running a cold finger along her jaw. Alice’s eyes fluttered shut at his touch, leaning her face into it. Loki sighed, feeling comfort at the idea that she was still with him. 

“I don’t know if I can say the next part. It’s too painful to utter.” She choked on her words, opening her eyes to look into Loki’s. “But I need to say it.”

“You don’t need to do anything.” Loki assured her. She shook her head while biting her lip.

“No, I want to. You need to know. I just don’t know how to say it.” Alice choked on her silent, salty tears. Loki swallowed, realizing there was a way he could know what happened without having her speak a single word.

“I can see the memory from your mind if you let me.” Loki offered. Alice shot him a confused look. “If the memory is present, I can see it from your point of view without you needing to say it. It will be painful, and leave you with discomfort in your head, but I can do it.”

Alice thought for a moment. It would be much easier to let Loki into her mind than to try to and describe what happened. She trusted that he would only view what she wanted him to and not try to find anything more. Slowly, she nodded.

“Are you sure?” He asked once more, beginning to pull one his hands from its spot on her back. Alice nodded. Sighing, Loki took one of his hands and slowly crept it towards her forehead, giving Alice an extra second to change her mind. When she said nothing, he placed his hand to her forehead and he suddenly saw everything from her point of view…

 

“As soon as you land, just destroy it all.” The voice said from behind me. I nodded without hesitation.

“Yes, sir.” 

“Everything must be destroyed in order to protect us.”

“Yes, sir.” 

The hatch opened and I jumped, immediately igniting my hands. Without any form of grace or pattern, I flung the balls of fire through the air, burning everything in my path. People began to run away, screaming. I had to kill them. It was my mission.

I walked through the streets, letting the fire stream from my hands like flamethrowers. Trees, houses, and land all began to go up in flames. The screams got louder. Good. I was succeeding.

The smell of smoke filled my nose. My leaders would be proud. We were good. 

People tried to attack me, they tried to stop me. I would simply burn them. They would fall before me. 

It took hours to burn it all. The screams were so loud. The people were helpless…

The people were dangerous. 

My hands burned brighter and the flames grew larger. I flung what I could at the people around me. The screams would grow extreme, then die down. Eventually, the city was silent. 

I walked the streets, my feet crunching on the burnt ground. Ashes floated around me. I burned everything again for good measure. Some buildings were still standing, though burned thoroughly. Their walls just hollow shells of their former structure. I needed to destroy it all. It was my mission.

I strayed from my direction. Fire was my tool, but I had more. I would bring everything to the ground. I extinguished my flames and began to stomp on the ground, causing small quakes of the earth to start. The buildings were falling one by one. Finally, I slammed my hand into the ground, shaking the ground around me. 

Everything began to fall. The flames were wild. I heard a cracking, and the sound of a hurricane above me. I looked as a building came crashing down above me.

I went to run but there was so use. The bricks were smashing me.

It went dark.

 

Loki pulled his hand away, eyes wide with shock. Alice’s eyes were shut tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks and whimpers caught in her throat. Loki wasn’t sure what to say. Was there anything he could say? 

“Now you know it all.” Alice said in a soft yet scared tone. She knew of Loki’s dangerous past, but she still feared what he would think of her. She was a killer; she was a weapon. Part of her was still that operated machine that could be used at any point. Part of her could still murder if she was told.

“You are so strong.” He mumbled, hugging her tightly. Alice was shocked by the gesture. She was sure he would get up and leave. Yet, here he was, holding her against him and comforting her. “Thank you for sharing this with me.”

“This is why Bucky and I are so close. He understands what it’s like to lose your mind to someone else’s control.” Alice said against his chest. She heard Loki take a deep breath in.

“You two may not be the only ones.” He said as he ran fingers through her knotted hair. Alice peered up at him.

“It wasn’t you who attacked New York, was it?” She asked. She felt like she already knew the answer from all the hints he had given her. Yet, she needed to hear him say it.

“No. Physically, yes, but there was someone behind my mind. Someone who had more control over my hand than I did.” Loki paused, fear swimming in his eyes.

“Who, Loki? Who made you do it?” Alice asked while gripping at his shirt. He shook his head.

“A powerful being. Someone so strong he brought me to my breaking point. He brought me to the point of suicide. I cannot say it. I cannot utter his name. He is looking for me.” Alice looked at Loki with wide eyes, her grip tightening. The thought of someone hurting Loki sent chills through Alice’s veins. 

“Suicide?” She questioned. The words were cold on her lips. She couldn’t begin to imagine Loki so low.

“The being abused me for what felt like a million lifetimes. Stripped me, beat me, threw me into space. He would torture me for days straight until he finally gave me the chance to redeem myself.” Hatred filled Loki’s eyes. It was then that Alice realized how similar the two truly were. They were both tortured, both had their minds out of their control, and both were forced to carry out plans they could never imagine. 

“We’ll get through this.” Alice reassured him, suddenly seeing the angered god as a child before her. He had suffered so much for so many years. She felt responsible to care for him while he remained on Earth. 

“You are stronger than I am, dove.” Loki smiled gently. 

“Stronger? I’m the one that just woke you up screaming from a nightmare!” She laughed, burying her face in his chest once more. She felt Loki’s gentle laughter rumble beneath her.

“At least you’re able to sleep.” Alice looked up and saw the pained truth in Loki’s eyes.

“Is it that bad?” She asked as Loki shook his head in response.

“Only every so often. The longer I’ve been away from his control, the easier it gets.” Loki wouldn’t admit tonight that being around Alice helped clear his mind. She was like an anchor holding him steady during a hurricane. She was his strong rock, whether she knew it or not.

“I’m here for you, Loki. You may doubt it, but everyone here is too. Maybe if they knew it wasn’t you…” 

“That isn’t a conversation for tonight, my rose.” Loki squeezed her hands. Alice sighed, a blush creeping onto her cheeks from the nickname he had graced her with. “I will leave you to rest now.” Loki untangled himself from her, pressing a cold kiss to her hand like he would every night. “Sweet dreams, Alice.”

As Loki began to slide from the bed, Alice felt too cold. The bed felt too large. Her heart tugged in her chest as she saw Loki head towards the door. Before she could help herself, Alice called out.

“Loki?” Loki turned around, raising an eyebrow.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, facing her completely. Alice pulled her knees up to her chest as the blankets pooled around her. 

“Could you maybe stay the night? I’m not sure I can be alone after that whole thing.” Alice blushed. She looked down at the blanket, her fingers playing with a loose string. Loki smiled, joy filling his chest. He had hoped she wouldn’t ask him to leave. After holding her for so long, Loki wasn’t sure how he would spend the rest of the night without her.

“Of course, my love.” 

My love.

The name painted another wave of blush on Alice’s cheeks. She blessed the darkness of the room, hoping it concealed her skin enough. Loki crawled back into the bed, allowing Alice to wrap herself around him. She rested her head on his chest and took in a deep sigh. Within minutes, Loki heard her breathing even out as she drifted into sleep.

He laid there for an hour. He didn’t want to sleep. He wanted this moment to last as long as it could. His arms tightened around Alice as if it would shield her from any malicious dreams.

Loki shut his eyes, exhaustion getting the best of him. As he began to fall into the depths of sleep, Loki swore that he would protect Alice at all costs. Now that she had opened up to him, Loki knew that things would be different. He knew that he was one of the only people to know this side of her. 

Loki knew what he needed to do. He needed to gain the trust of the Avengers. He needed to be able to protect Alice on the battle field. He would make sure no one would ever hurt her again. He couldn’t do that locked away in this tower. He would keep her safe, no matter what it cost him.

As he sat in her bed, arms wound around her like a lock, Loki realized what this feeling that was pooling inside of him was. It was pure affection, admiration, adoration. Maybe, it was love, too.

Did Loki love her? Was his heart capable of such a tender emotion? He thought this was friendship, a companionship, yet when Alice sat there, anger in her voice and tears in her eyes, Loki wanted nothing more than to protect her from every evil in the world. He knew he could very well be one of those evils, and he wanted to be better for her. The realization caused Loki to open his eyes and stare down at her. He needed to see her safe in his arms. He needed to know that she would never be in harm’s way as long as he were around.

Loki looked down at the sleeping girl, her face still stained with tears. She looked so peaceful yet so broken. How could anyone hurt a girl so beautiful and pure? The thought sickened him. He stroked his fingers through her hair and hummed an Asgardian lullaby into the night, knowing she wouldn’t hear him, but hoped it would ease her unconscious mind enough to ward off the nightmares.

“Dare I say it so, Alice? Dare I admit what I’ve been feeling is more than what I believed? Is this love?” Loki whispered to her sleeping form. She wouldn’t answer, of course, yet the confession raised a weight from Loki’s shoulders.

He closed his eyes, dreaming of his plans to keep her safe. He dreamt of a world where she wouldn’t need to ignite a flame in her palms for war, only for her own excitement. He dreamt of a world where Alice was adorned with Asgardian robes and the finest jewels, and more importantly, she was adorned with her smile. He dreamt of a world where she was his.

His plan needed to work. He found it comical that he would be going to the Avengers for help. If everything worked perfectly, Loki would be able to keep Alice safe. She would never need to engage in violence again. He would save her from her fears, and possibly win her heart while doing so.

Maybe, he could become a hero.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter summary: Alice has revealed that she was sent to a place called the Organization for Extraordinary Adolescence. After her parents die soon after, she begins to get abused by the Organization until she submits to mind control. Under their control, she burns an entire city down, leaving no survivors. She was left there after the Org. believed she was killed by a falling building, thus leading her to eventually caring for herself in the woods. Loki reveals that he, too, was abused by another being, but refuses to say their name. Alice falls asleep in Loki's arms and Loki formulates a plan to keep her safe from harm. He also realizes that he may or may not be in love with her.


	17. Feelings Falling Deeper

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! So...I'm sick. My apologies if this chapter isn't top notch, I just feel like crap honestly but I wanted to make sure I updated on time for you guys! Comments and kudos are always loved and welcomed! Enjoy!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 2850

Loki woke up before Alice the following morning. The sun was just barely creeping through the floor-to-ceiling window on the far side of Alice’s room. Loki slid out from under the blankets, making sure he didn’t disturb Alice. With a wave of his hand, he conjured a note telling Alice he had business to attend to and that he would see her later. He hoped he wouldn’t upset her by leaving early.

With another flick of his hand, Loki’s night clothing transformed into a tight fitting suit. He had learned this attire was of Alice’s interest, and he would do whatever he pleased her whether she knew it or not. 

Loki walked towards the door, looking at Alice sleeping peacefully once more. It was mere hours ago when Loki realized that he cared for Alice more than a friend. He wanted to give her the world. A gentle smiled graced his lips before he turned and headed down to where he knew he needed to be. 

Loki knew faintly of Tony’s inability to sleep well. Alice had told him briefly, and he knew he was part of the problem. It never failed to amuse Loki how lasting of an effect he could hold over the mortals, yet something in him urged him to be civil. Something in him desired for acceptance within this cage of a tower. 

He knew at this early hour that Tony would be awake. He also figured that he would be locked up in his labs, trying to focus his mind on something productive rather than destructive. Loki wasn’t exactly positive which lab he would occupy himself in, but he assumed the largest one where he met with Bruce would be a good place to start.

As Loki walked up to the glass doors that housed the lab, he took in a sharp breath. ‘This is a foolish idea’ he thought to himself. Though he possessed a silver tongue, Loki seemed to be at a loss for words. How exactly was he supposed to start such a conversation? ‘Hey Stark, I want to join the Avengers. Yes…I know I tried to murder you and rule your meager planet but…I want in.’

This would never work.

Loki had half a mind to turn back and head to his and Thor’s room when the glass doors opened in front of him. There stood Tony, bags under his eyes and a coffee stain above his lip. He looked just as confused as his visitor.

“Voldemort, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Tony grumbled, folding his arms across his chest. Loki looked down at him. He understood the nickname now.

“I must speak with you, Stark.” 

“Oh come on. Ask nicely.” Tony smirked. Loki rolled his eyes. He might kill this man before he had the chance to bargain.

“You are lucky I don’t just run my dagger through your chest right this moment.” Loki growled. If Tony wasn’t going to be civil then neither would he.

“You already tried the whole ‘penetrate my chest’ thing with that scepter. Didn’t work too well now did it?” Tony patted Loki on the arm, earning a disgusted look from the god. He brushed the arm of his suit as if to wipe off the marks from Tony’s hand. “Let’s go grab a coffee.”

Loki unwillingly followed Tony to a lounging room only two doors down. Loki stood in the center of the room, watching Tony prepare two coffees. Truthfully, Loki was a bit surprised by the consideration of the other man.

“So, you never answered me. To what do I owe this pleasure?” Tony reiterated. Loki looked out the window to his left, the sun barely coming over the horizon. It would be best to get this conversation over with before the rest of Earth’s mightiest heroes woke.

“Stark, there is a question I’ve been meaning to ask you.” Loki began slowly. He crossed his arms behind his back. Tony didn’t look up from his preparations. 

“Go ahead.” Tony gestured with his hand for him to continue. The suited man sighed, closing his eyes for a moment.

“Alice told me about her past in the Organization. Her past as the Phoenix.” Tony looked up, the conversation suddenly striking his interest. 

“How did you get her to do that?” Tony leaned forward. He truly was intrigued. He knew so little about her past except for what he was able to find through extensive research.

“A lot of patience that I didn’t know I had. She woke up late last night screaming. I heard her from my quarters. After going over to check if she was okay, she just let it all out.” Loki sighed, running a hand through his dark locks. “The point of the matter is…I want to protect her. She’s been through glorious amounts of abuse and she is constantly in fear of herself. She’s afraid of her mind being taken over again and I must protect her from that. During her training session, she fell victim to it and I could not help. When she was out in battle and got so brutally injured, I could not help. I cannot stand in this tower watching her risk her life any longer.”

Tony just stared at him. He wasn’t sure what Loki was trying to say. Did he want Alice to stay behind? Did he want the others to look over her more? Did he…

No…

He couldn’t possibly mean that he…

“I want to join the team.”

He did.

“No.” Tony answered quickly, without much thought at all. 

“Stark, listen to me. I’m not asking to have access to secret files or sit in on every meeting. All I’m asking is to let me into the field to protect Alice. I would do nothing more than be a shield for her.” Loki tried to persuade Tony, hoping to earn some sort of positive reaction.

“This is insane.” Tony mumbled, fingers tapping the marble counter. “You try to kill us, and now you want to help us?”

“Trust me, Stark, I am just as shocked by my own decision as you are.” Loki smirked. “I know you want her safe, yet I also know you want her as a tool in this battle. You cannot have both unless someone steps in to take the mantle of her, as you would call it, bodyguard.” 

“How do I know you aren’t trying to hurt us? To hurt her?” Tony questioned. 

“I have been free in this tower for weeks. I laid with Alice in her bed last night to comfort her. I have been surrounded by weapons and I have no restrictions on my powers. Don’t you think if I wanted to hurt anyone or escape, I would have done so already?” Tony seemed to think deeply about this. As much as he hated to admit it, Loki did have a point.

“You realize you’re asking to be on my team? Like you would take orders from me.” Tony smirked. Loki chuckled softly and shook his head.  
“Stark, I know you think I hate you but such is not precisely the case.” Loki hated to speak such a truth.

“Wait, what? But that’s not fun at all.” Tony faked being hurt but to his own surprise, something within him actually felt relief.

“I admire the fact that despite my efforts in the beginning, you managed to keep me detained in that cell. I admire the fact that upon such short notice you were able to bring together a group of remarkable people to fight me…you’re welcome, by the way. I admire the fact that you are managing to keep this world somewhat safe. But most of all, I admire that you care so much for each of these misfits, especially my Alice.” Loki said the last part softly. 

“Your Alice? Wait did you sleep with her last night?” Tony said with wide eyes, anger seeping through his gaze. Loki put up his hands in defense.

“No, of course not. She is just a friend. I went into her room only to comfort her.” Loki defended himself. Tony still shot daggers at him with his eyes. Before Tony could get another word out, the door to the room swung open and crashed against the wall loudly.

“Is she dead?” Thor asked, seemingly out of breath. Tony and Loki both looked at him with confusion.

“Hello to you, too, buddy.” Tony waved. Thor kept a straight face.

“Who are you talking about, brother?” Loki raised an eyebrow. 

“Alice, of course.” Thor huffed, walking towards the center of the room.

“Why would you think she died?” Tony asked, getting ready to prepare a third cup of coffee.

“You contacted me that she had been put in danger yet told me no more! I returned to Midgard as quickly as I could.” Thor stepped forward, his hand tightening around his hammer. 

“Alice’s mind was attacked yesterday but she is doing better, it seems.” Loki spoke softly. Images of Alice screaming on the floor of the training room haunted his mind. He shook his head, wishing he could forget the scene forever.

“How did this happen? We must save her.” Thor growled, his hand gripping the hammer in his hand so tightly, Tony was sure it could have snapped in half. Loki walked over to him and placed a hand on his bare arm.

“No one is quite sure, but she is fine. Tony and Bruce were able to help her. She’s resting now.” Loki informed him. Thor nodded.

“Did you just call me Tony?” Tony asked, his eyes wide with shock. Loki rolled his eyes, ignoring the dark haired man. 

“My apologies for my abrupt entrance. I was worried for my friend. I know have been absent recently.” Thor looked off. “Brother, how has your freedom been?”

Before Loki could answer with some snarky response, Tony chimed in. 

“He wants to be an Avenger.” Tony smirked. “Ridiculous, right?” 

“I think it’s a wonderful idea.” Thor smiled happily, throwing his arms around his brother who squeaked in defense. Tony’s jaw dropped.

“You’re kidding me, right? Please tell me you’re joking.” Tony gasped.

“Never! My brother is a strong being. He’s extremely intelligent and despite his lanky arms he is quite physically capable as well.” Loki rolled his eyes. “Why, with his seidr, he would be an incredible member to the team!”

Both Tony and Loki were shocked at what Thor had said. Tony was surprised by how on-board he was to the idea, and Loki was surprised by how proudly he stated Loki’s abilities. Loki and Tony both shot a look to each other then back to Thor, who just stood there smiling.

“I want him in. Think about it. The trickster god fighting for the good of Midgard. No enemy would be able to see past his tricks, giving us the upper hand to any evil coming our way!” Thor cheered. Tony sighed, rubbing his fingers across his forehead. 

“Voldemort is pretty strong; I’ll give you that.” He grumbled.

“Voldemort? No, Tony, we’re talking about Loki. Who is this Voldemort you speak of?” Thor asked, completely serious. Loki chuckled and shook his head.

“It’s just a name brother.” Loki smirked.

“Ah, well then. Voldemort, welcome to the Avengers!” Thor smiled, wrapping an arm around his brother and leading him towards the door.

“Uh, wait a second there, blondie. We need to decide on this as a team.” Tony called out. Thor paused and turned.

“The faster you let Loki prove his goodness, the faster Odin accepts him back to Asgard. Then, he’s off your hands for good.” Thor tightened his grip on Loki who seemed frozen with realization. Tony just groaned and nodded.

“Fine. I’ll tell everyone later. This won’t go over well.” Tony mumbled the last part. As the godly pair left the room, he decided some alcohol would mix great with his morning cup of coffee.  
He really needed it. 

 

**

 

Alice was sitting in Bruce’s lab, her head resting on the back of the reclining lab chair. They were trying to figure out how to separate her mind from the Organization. It seemed trickier than Bucky’s invasion, since she didn’t require a certain series of trigger words to activate her killer inside.

The faint sounds of beeps and hums fell into background noise as Alice thought about her night. She had truly spilled everything she was to Loki. He had accepted her so eagerly and assured her that he didn’t care what she had done. When she woke and found his note, her heart had fluttered eagerly. She couldn’t wait to get unplugged and see him again.

After falling asleep in his arms last night, Alice was beginning to believe that her feelings for him ran deeper than just admiration. She felt comfort and love in his embrace and wanted to feel his arms around her every night. She knew she fancied Loki, but she was sure it was just some adoration of his beauty or kindness. This feeling ran deeper than that. 

“Any updates?” She sighed, looking towards Bruce. He smiled gently and shook his head.

“I can’t make anything out. This is ridiculous. Whoever programmed that part of your mind must have been a genius.” Bruce hummed. Alice snorted and shook her head.

“That’s a way to put it. You know, I’ve never felt totally in control of my head. When I first came here, any time I felt fear, I could feel this sort of fog hanging over me. It wasn’t until I calmed down that my head cleared again.” Alice said grimly. “That feeling has gone away recently. I thought I escaped it, thanks to Bucky and all of his help. I don’t know why all of a sudden it came back, and it came back so strongly.” 

“Some things can’t be explained but we’re trying. Your mind is very complex but we’ll figure out why it’s happening.” Bruce assured her. Alice nodded and sighed, leaning her head back.

“I hope you’re right.” She mumbled. Bruce just looked at her, wishing he could say something more to make her feel better. 

“So you and Loki huh?” Bruce smiled, adjusting his glasses. Alice raised an eyebrow and shook her head.

“Just friends.” She reassured him. The truth left a bad taste in her mouth. She wanted so much more.

“I don’t believe it.” His smile was kind as he talked to her. The gentle gesture helped calm her nerves. Bruce was a wise, kind soul. He was extremely intelligent and always explained to her why he was doing what he did. “Not with the way he talked about you.”

“Loki is a kind man. He is simply close to me because I give him a chance that no one else does.” Alice explained like she always did.

“He’s also a man that practically fell to his knees asking me to teach him how to help you.” Bruce chuckled. “I don’t think that someone like him would do something like that for just a friend.”

Alice looked away, her cheeks flush with a rosy hue. She would like to believe she meant more to Loki than just being his friend. However, she was just a mortal. She knew that he must have had glorious lovers fawning after him on Asgard. Beautiful men and women just begging to be both bedded and loved by him. She could say she wanted the same, but she knew it was impossible.

“I will admit I’ve thought of him in ways that friends shouldn’t.” Alice admitted out loud finally. She had never uttered the words, yet it felt so good to get them off of her chest.

“Oh yeah? You’ve got a crush on the god of mischief then.” Bruce smiled as he typed some things into his computer. Alice shrugged.

“It seems so.” She sighed.

“When did this all start?” Bruce looked at her, his hair graying from the stress he was constantly living in.

“I don’t know. One day in those cells, I just looked at him and I realized that I wouldn’t mind wanting more than just a friendship.” Alice bit her lip. “It would never happen though.”

“What makes you say that?” Bruce questioned, his body turning fully towards her.

“He’s a god. I’m, well, not. I’m not good enough for him.” Alice looked down, picking at a strand on her sweater. Bruce took off his glasses and went to sit next to her.

“Don’t lessen your value, Alice. You’re an incredible, powerful woman.” Bruce smiled at her. “And I’m pretty positive that Loki…”

Before Bruce was able to get another word in, Clint rushed into the lab. He was out of breath and his eyes were full of anger and confusion. He stopped and looked between Alice and Bruce. He sighed and shook his head.

“You will never believe what is about to happen.” He groaned. Alice sat up and Bruce walked closer to the archer.

“What’s going on?” Bruce asked while rubbing his wrists nervously.

“Tony’s losing his mind again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Loki act like they hate each other but lets be real here, we all know they have a soft spot for one another.


	18. Daring Dates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!! This new upload schedule is so helpful for me now that my college classes have started. Not much to report so I hope you all enjoy this chapter and thank you so much for reading! Comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated!!
> 
>  
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 2470

When Alice, Bruce, and Clint walked into the meeting room, all eyes turned to them. Tony and Thor stood at the head of the table while everyone else sat around it. Even Peter was there, which was unusual as it was a weekday. 

“Alice.” Thor smiled, making his way around the table to embrace his friend in his arms. Alice smiled against his chest.

“I’ve missed you.” She whispered. It was true. He was always there for her when she needed him the most. He radiated energy and light. Having him away proved to be harder than she thought it would be.

“As have I, my friend.” Thor grinned against her hair. When the pair pulled away from their embrace, Alice peered over Thor’s shoulder and noted another figure standing in the corner of the room that seemed out of place.

“Loki.” Alice sighed, seeing him leaning against the wall. He was wearing another suit, deep gray with a white shirt and a black tie. It gave her chills and made her heart race. He was so beautiful. He shot her a cheeky grin as his eyes danced across every member of the room. Alice’s eyes moved back to Tony’s, who looked as if he hadn’t slept in days. As Alice took her seat, she couldn’t help but let her next question come out. “Clint said you’re losing your mind again. What is it now?”

“Well, I’ve been doing some thinking. It needs to be a team decision since it affects everyone here.” He began as Thor walked back to his side. “Our team is strong physically. We can beat down anyone in our way. But we’re missing something. Something cunning. Something tactical. Something like…like Loki.” 

Everyone shot daggers at the raven haired man who continued to lean against the wall. His eyes had never left Alice. He didn’t care what the others thought. He only wanted to know how she felt.

Her lips were parted in shock. The last thing she imagined was Tony, of all people, saying they wanted Loki to join the Avengers. Joy was swelling within her chest as she looked at her friend across the room. His face was completely serious as he looked at her. She wanted to jump up and hug him. He must have done something right. 

“I want to add him to the team. I think his party tricks would help us get an advantage that no one can see coming. He hasn’t killed any of us yet…”

“Yet. Key word.” Natasha noted with sarcasm dripping in her tone. Tony ignored her.

“He’s been wandering the tower for weeks. If he wanted to kill us he would have.” Tony repeated the words he heard from earlier. He hoped it reassured the group. “I don’t completely trust him either, guys. But this could work. We could have him and his magic sit here, growing restless and resentful, or we could bring him out to the action and let him release his anger on someone who deserves it.”

“Stark, I do love when you talk about me like I’m not here.” Loki chimed in, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he leaned casually against the wall behind him. Alice held back a laugh. 

“This is crazy.” Clint put in.

“But it could work.” Steve noted, earning a nod from Bucky.

“You’ve seen what he can do.” Sam said while pointing a finger at Loki. “I’m not trying to die today.”

“The dude has magic?!” Peter was apparently still stuck on this fact.

“He tried to take over the planet.” Natasha cued in.

“It wasn’t him.” Alice finally said. Everyone looked at her like she had three heads. Thor smirked.

“What do you mean?” Sam raised an eyebrow. Alice looked at Loki with hopeful eyes. He needed to be the one to tell them. Loki nodded and walked towards the table, hands deep in his pockets as he let his defenses drop.

He retold the group about his abuse with the alien titan. He showed them the differences between the man that he was in New York and the man he is now. He went into gruesome detail that had Alice almost leaking tears. After he finished his story, the room was quiet. No one was sure how to react. Finally, Natasha stood from her chair.

“How do we know we can trust what you’re saying, God of Lies?” She asked with emphasis on her last three words. Loki lowered his eyes.

“There is no way to trust me. I’ve wronged you all.” He said simply. Natasha leaned back.

“When Alice had her episode, Loki ran to help her in any way he could. I was on the ground, Bucky was on the ground, and she was out for the count. If he wanted to hurt us then, he had the prime opportunity. Instead, he went to help her. To help us. He had the perfect chance to take out three of us and he chose to help.” Steve said, standing from his chair as well. Alice looked at the captain in awe. “I know it’s insane but no person who wants to eliminate the Avengers would choose to help them over hurt them, especially when they’re so vulnerable.”

Slowly but surely, everyone began to find a reason to trust Loki. Alice could name hundreds but she stayed quiet. She knew everyone would know what she would say. Of course she wanted him on the team. 

“I guess its settled then.” Tony said, hesitantly turning towards Loki. “Welcome to the team, Ice Cube.” 

 

**

 

Three weeks had passed since Loki had officially became an Avenger. The security that surrounded him constantly began to disappear, slowly but surely. He even attended a mission with Tony, Alice, Steve and Clint. His seidr and tricks were unmatched and the team brought home another victory.

Despite the success of their missions, almost every time the group returned back to headquarters, Alice would erupt into a fit of screaming. Her mind was tinged with the poison from her past. A few times she had even turned violent. Bruce happened to be too close to her and her mind told her to hurt him. She sent a line of fire directly towards him, and it took ten people to calm her down and to stop Bruce from going green. It continued to take longer and longer to bring her out of her mental attack. The attacks on her mind would tire her for hours, and all she asked was that Loki would stay and protect her while she slept.

No one completely trusted the god. Clint would shoot the dark haired man vicious looks and Natasha would often ignore his input. Some were even starting to believe that Loki was the one putting her through the attacks in her brain. Alice understood their hostility, but she completely trusted the god, and knew that whatever was happening to her was not his fault. He was nothing but lovely to her.

Spending so much time together was filling Loki’s head with confusion. He always thought himself incapable of romantic love. Most of the partners he had been with were just for quick sex. His partners would leave his quarters almost as fast as they arrived. Yet, whenever he looked at Alice or heard her laugh, his heart soared. He was falling for a Midgardian, but for some reason, he no longer cared. He could picture her laying against him, curled into his side while she drifted into sleep. He could picture his lips pressed to hers in the dark of night. He could picture her in his bed, lying bare against the silk sheets, writhing beneath him at his touch. He could picture her next to him on the throne of Asgard. 

At times it became unbearable. He would need to distance himself just to focus on the reality of the situation. She was a hero, and while he may be on the team with many of them, Loki surely was not one. At least in his mind he wasn’t. He was simply there to protect her. He couldn’t poison her purity with his darkness.

He was unsure of her feelings towards him. One moment he would believe that maybe he stood a chance, then the next he doubted it greatly. She was attached to Bucky. He was always so kind to her and was extremely protective. Whenever she was under attack mentally, Bucky was there. Bucky brought her out of her confused states. Loki didn’t despise the other man, but jealousy would swarm in him whenever he saw the two together, his arms wrapped around her when she would get overwhelmed. Loki’s heart would burn when he saw Bucky whisper something into her ear, causing Alice to erupt in fits of laughter. He was beginning to become convinced that they were something more than just friends.

Loki was sitting on a sofa in a common room next to Thor. His eyes were trained on Alice who was gossiping about something with Peter. Loki had grown to like the younger boy. He was pleasant and showed an incredible amount of interest in Loki’s seidr. 

“I’m throwing a party!” Tony bellowed as he walked into the room, earning a cheer from Thor and an eye roll from Loki.

“What for?” Thor smiled, standing from the couch. 

“Well, it’s almost Christmas so there’s that. Plus, you know me. I look for any reason to throw a good party. Everyone’s invited, even you, kid.” Tony pointed at Peter. Peter’s eyes widened in shock.

“Thank you, Mr. Stark!” Peter grinned, looking back at Alice who offered him a warm smile.

“Your parties are always magnificent for a Midgardian celebration. I will be eager to attend.” Thor smiled brightly. He looked down at Loki who looked less than interested. “Will you be joining brother?”

“He has to. Avenger protocol.” Tony shrugged before Loki had the opportunity to respond with a snarky remark. Loki rolled his eyes and stood from the couch.

“I’ll go back to the cell.” Loki smirked. Tony chuckled and put his hands in his pockets.

“So I’ll see you there then?” Tony pointed a finger at Loki, a grin playing at his lips. 

“I wouldn’t miss an opportunity to watch you get drunk and make a fool of yourself.” Loki grinned. Thor gave him a pat on the shoulder. Alice just smiled at him softly from across the room. 

“Great then. Friday at 7. Don’t be late because that’s just rude when you’re living in my house.” Tony turned on his heel and left the room, probably to go tell the others about his gathering. Alice walked across the room to Loki and punched him lightly on the arm.

“I can’t wait to see you dance to the cha-cha-slide” She laughed. Loki looked down at her and raised an eyebrow.

“Cha-cha-slide?” He asked. Even Thor looked perplexed.

“It’s a line dance. The song tells you what to do and you do it.” Peter walked over. Alice nodded in agreement.

“Is the man singing this song a king?” Loki asked.

“No, of course not.” Alice laughed.

“Then I shall not listen to him.” Loki said finally. Thor scoffed.

“You wouldn’t listen to the man even if he was a king.” Thor hinted at Loki’s relationship with Odin. Loki smirked.

“You know me so well, brother.” Loki grinned. Thor gave him another pat on the shoulder. Peter began to go on about something, earning Thor’s attention but losing Loki’s. Loki looked down at Alice as the pair walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows across the room. They stared out at the woods that lined the property, concealing it as best it could. 

“What do you Midgardians typically wear to your parties?” Loki asked with his eyes still trained on the view outside. 

“Since it’s one of Tony’s parties, I would imagine a simple suit would be good.” She suggested, crossing her arms across her body.

“So you’re saying I shouldn’t wear my cape and horns?” Loki winked. Alice chuckled and shook her head. Her cheeks flushed at the image. She never saw Loki in his famed helm in person, but she had seen pictures. The thought of seeing him in it sent chills down her spine. 

“I mean you could if you wanted to intimidate all the guests.” She shrugged. Loki genuinely considered it.

“A suit it shall be then. I sure hope you aren’t trying to trick me, Midgardian.” Loki turned to her, growling playfully. Alice just rolled her eyes and patted his arm.

“I would never. I’m not you, after all.” She winked. Loki just huffed and turned back to the window, his heart secretly soaring. 

“You will be attending this party with a date, I presume?” Loki asked as his body stiffened. He had hoped she would say no.

“What? A date? Why would I have one?” She chuckled. Loki pursed his lips.

“Is Bucky not taking you?” He looked her with confusion. She reflected his expression.

“Why would Bucky take me to the party?” She giggled. Loki shot up an eyebrow.

“I thought maybe you two…” He trailed off, looking at the ground beneath his black shoes. Alice continued to laugh gently until she realized was Loki was implying. “I mean you both are so close, I just figured…”

“Oh no, Loki! Bucky and I aren’t together. That’s silly.” She smiled. Loki turned towards her.

“Why is that so foolish?” He cocked his head to the side. “He clearly cares for you greatly.”

“Because he’s with Steve.” She winked. Loki’s jaw dropped slightly. Oh. So, that’s why.

“You are deceiving me.” He growled. Alice held her stomach as she laughed. She couldn’t believe that Loki never noticed. Steve and Bucky were always affectionate to each other. More often than not, she would notice their hands interlocked under the meeting table. During training, Steve would never use his full strength on Bucky, and Bucky would never use his on Steve. They didn’t show it off, but it was clear there was something there. 

“I would never! They’re very quiet about it. They don’t publicize it much but yeah, they’re together. They have been for a long time, apparently.” Alice winked. Loki suddenly felt relief wash over him. He had been wrong about the metal-armed-man. He truly was just a friend to the woman he wanted to be with.

“Well then, I’ll meet you at the party right at 7 o’clock.” Loki smirked as he turned away. Alice turned around, watching him walk away.

“Is that your way of asking me to come to the party with you?” She asked. Loki stopped and turned slightly, the smirk still present on his face.

“Of course. It’s a date, isn’t it?” 

And with that, he walked away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Peter Parker is so cute I'm crying. AND it's finally official, Steve and Bucky are proclaimed as being together!! I've been waiting for that to come out for a long time, and it's finally here so yay. Also, props to Loki for becoming a bit more daring. He's finally making advances with his feelings for Alice!


	19. Drunk in Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! This chapter was so much fun to write, and I hope everyone enjoys it! Comments and kudos are loved loved loooved and appreciated so much. Enjoy!
> 
> Also...quick warning. Things heat up a bit in this chapter and will from here on out. Exciting for sure!
> 
>  
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 2624

“You’re over-dressed.”

“No, this is appropriate.”

“I’ve seen one other man in a suit.”

“That man is smart, then.”

“Just change into something more comfortable.”

“Alice told me this would be fine.”

Thor rolled his eyes, sipping from his drink. Him and Loki were sat next to each other at the bar, both nursing some beer. It would never get them drunk, but it was enough to relax their bones.

Loki had been letting his eyes wander through the crowd. He hadn’t been able to find Alice yet. He looked at the clock, noting it was fifteen minutes past their meeting time. The crowd was getting denser and denser, with most of the guests showing up prior to 7:00, and Loki was beginning to lose hope in his friend showing up. He sighed, spinning his drink in his glass. Maybe she reconsidered.

Was he too bold in assuming she would want to come with him? After all, he had just walked away from her without hearing her response. Maybe she didn’t want to go with him. Maybe she didn’t want to go at all. Loki shut his eyes, praying that he wouldn’t be made a complete fool tonight. 

“Look at this. Family gathering!” Tony approached the brothers. He threw his arms around their shoulders, earning a smile from Thor and a groan from Loki. Tony pulled back and looked at the two men. When Loki and Thor turned around to look at Tony, Loki smirked.

“Stark’s in a suit.” He jested. Thor rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, Thor, where’s your suit?” Tony joked, jabbing Thor on his forearm. Thor simply chuckled and took another sip from the weak-tasting beer.

“This party seems more formal then your others. My sincerest apologies, my friend.” He mused, drinking his beer again. Loki wondered why Thor was so eager to taste the Midgardian drink, knowing it wouldn’t get him drunk. Loki lifted an eyebrow, noticing the slightly red coloring to the drink, realizing Thor had slipped some Asgardian alcohol into his glass. Loki was proud, to say the least. Tony, however, didn’t notice the difference and continued to nod.

“It’s Christmas Eve. I had to make it a little fancier.” Tony said after he ordered himself a drink. The bartender slid his glass over and Tony sipped eagerly from it. “So, I ask again. Where’s your suit?”

Loki flicked his eyes over to Thor who was just in a t-shirt with a sports jacket over it. As reward for Thor scandalously slipping in his Asgardian alcohol, Loki decided to do him a favor. He flicked his hand and suddenly a green light waved over his brother. His attire changed before their eyes to a simple suit. Thor looked over at Loki and patted his back.

“Here it is.” He winked at Tony. 

“Impressive, I’ll give you that.” Tony gestured his drink towards Loki. “Say, where’s Alice? Its unlike her to be late.” 

“I was thinking the same thing.” Loki mumbled, his eyes returning to his drink. He took another sip, the bitter taste lingering in his mouth. He was beginning to wish he asked Thor for something stronger. 

“Is that her?” Thor pointed to the stairs leading down into the room. Loki looked over and his heart began to race.

She was walking down the steps slowly, her hand dragging across the rail. When she got the foot of the steps she looked around. Her hair was falling over her shoulders. Her body was covered in a short, sleeveless black dress. She wore simple black heels, which heightened her significantly. 

Loki stood, ignoring whatever the other men were saying. Is that what the Midgardians referred to as a Cinderella moment? He downed the rest of his drink and approached the girl with the wandering eyes. He adjusted his all black suit as he walked towards her. Once she caught sight of him, a smile broke out onto her lips.

“Loki, hi.” She breathed out as he stood before her. “I’m so sorry I’m late. I was getting ready and then, of course, I got lost. I’m…”

“Beautiful.” He cut her off, eyes wandering across her. She put the goddesses of Asgard to shame. A pink blush crept onto her cheeks as she pushed some of her hair behind her ear.

“Thank you, you look…dashing.” She said, drinking in the sight of him in his all black suit. She felt a pull in her stomach. He was tall, dark, and lean. He was everything she wanted in that moment. The suit looked crisp and soft. She wondered what it would feel like under her fingers and she peeled it off his body.

“Let me get you something to drink.” He smirked, holding his arm out for her to take it. She wrapped her arm around his gently, her fingers grasping the fabric of his suit. Crisp and soft, indeed. The two made their way over to the bar. Thor gave the pair a large smile as the bartender slid a drink into Alice’s hand. The bartender winked at her, causing a blush to rush to her cheeks. Without Alice seeing, Loki shot the man a look that could kill, warning him to back off.

“Glad you could make it.” He said, clinking his glass with hers. Tony had disappeared by now, immersing himself with other guests at the party.

“Glad I haven’t tripped in these heels yet.” Alice giggled while taking a sip from her glass. The taste was bitter but good, she needed something to take the edge off. Loki looked down at her and smirked.

“If you do fall, I’ll be sure to catch you, my dear.” He purred. Alice’s lips parted and she nodded slightly. This was going to be a rough night. 

Alice never left Loki’s side the entire night. She made sure to show Loki what it was like to party on Earth. She knew he was amused, despite pretending to be annoyed by the whole atmosphere. They danced, they drank, and the laughed. Merriment filled the air on the holiday and Alice was drinking in every second of it. 

When the two walked back to the bar, Alice’s feet sore from dancing, they found Steve and Bucky. Steve gave the two a warm hug while Bucky simply smiled.

“The happy couple.” Loki winked. Steve and Bucky both froze, looking at Alice. She bit her lip and shrugged.

“I let it out. Sorry.” She giggled, her senses soft from all the drinking. 

“You can’t control this one when it comes to alcohol, I guess.” Bucky smirked. Steve simply smiled and looked towards the ground, glitter covering the surface. He placed a large hand on Bucky’s thigh and laughed.

“Oh no, she let it slip well before the drinking began.” Loki chuckled, his arm wrapped around her waist. Alice practically let out a moan at Loki’s hand splaying across her hip. 

“I’m in a perfectly stable condition right now, Bucky. Even with all that super soldier shit I bet I can outdrink you!” She mused. Bucky raised an eyebrow.

“That’s not a bet I think you want to make.” Bucky sipped his drink. Alice let her jaw drop. She turned her attention to the bartender and ordered a round of shots.

“You think you’re tough? Well let’s do this.” Alice smirked as her fingers gripped the glass of the shot glass in front of her. Bucky shook his head and took in a deep sigh. There was no way he was winning this.

“Are you sure you want to do this, darling?” Loki asked, whispering it in her ear. Having him so close sent chills down her spine. Alice could feel a light heat between her legs when his cool breath hit the side of her neck. She coughed and focused her attention on the drinks.

“Absolutely.” 

Alice and Bucky began to down the shots. The entire team was hanging around them, watching the event go down. She felt superior in the moment, yet she was fading quite quickly. Drink by drink she felt herself leaning more into Loki and becoming clingier. Her hands never left the arm of his suit. Bucky on the other hand was only slightly buzzed, the alcohol not really affecting his system. It wasn’t until Steve literally pulled the shots from Alice’s hands that they stopped.

It was late into the evening and Alice was completely hammered. She couldn’t walk and could barely utter a coherent sentence without laughing. Loki made sure his arm was always around her so she wouldn’t completely topple over and hurt herself. She had made it this long in those heels and Loki wasn’t sure how much longer she would last, especially with the alcohol tainting her system. He could see her physically fading and he decided that it would be better for her to get to bed and rest this out. Most of the guests had disappeared by now anyway.

“I think it’s time we get you to bed.” Loki whispered to her. She laughed and leaned into him. Her hands found his tie and pulled it slightly.

“I’ve been waiting for you to say that to me for months.” She giggled. Loki raised his eyebrows, his jaw dropping slightly. Regardless, he began to walk her back to her room. Alice kept fumbling over her own feet so Loki decided to lift her into his arms, holding her bridal style as they walked down the halls. 

Alice wrapped her arms around Loki’s neck, digging her face into the crook of his neck. She hummed, breathing in his scent. 

“You smell pretty.” She drunkenly mumbled. Loki laughed gently and continued to walk, making sure to make his pace slow so she wouldn’t get sick.

“As do you, my rose.” He acknowledged. She giggled into his neck. The two walked quietly through the halls. Loki was sure she was asleep until she moved her head out to look at him. 

“You’re pretty.” She smiled, eyes glazed over in her drunken state. “I want to kiss you.”

Loki almost stopped in his tracks. What did she just say? He shook his head, trying to straighten his thoughts. She was drunk. She didn’t mean it.

“Thank you.” He said softly, hoping it would settle her. It didn’t.

“I’ve wanted to kiss you since, like, forever ago. You’re so pretty!” She giggled again. Loki mused in his mind. Pretty. What a lovely compliment. “Can I kiss you?” 

“Maybe later.” Loki said with a straight face. He wanted to, he wanted to so badly. He would press her against the wall right there and kiss her for hours. Yet, he realized that it was all unrealistic. He didn’t want her drunken words to be taken seriously by himself. He would not latch his hope onto alcohol induced thoughts.

“Are you going to sleep with me tonight?” She hummed, twirling a lock of his hair between her fingers. Loki took a deep breath. Almost there.

“If it helps you dream peacefully.” He smiled down at her. 

“Not that type of sleep!” She laughed. “Like, sleep with me. You know.” She winked, her head swaying back at forth. Loki swallowed a lump in his throat. ‘I wish’ he thought to himself. He would do anything to see what it was like under that tight dress.

“Not tonight, love. You need your rest.” He answered, hoping his voice was steady. Alice frowned and rested her head on his shoulder.

When they arrived at Alice’s room, Loki placed her on the bed softly. She shuffled around a bit and started to groan.

“What is it, my rose?” He asked her, leaning over the bed. She lifted a hand and ran it down the front of his suit.

“Sleep with me.” She sighed. Loki shook his head and bit his lip. He wanted to more than anything. He knew she was drunk, though, and he refused to take advantage of her in that way. 

“Sweet dreams, my rose.” Loki whispered as he pressed a soft kiss to the back of her hand. Before Alice could protest, he placed a hand to her forehead and forced her into sleep. When she was snoring peacefully, Loki let out a sigh of relief.

He waved his hand above her body, a green glow washing over her as her dress and heels turned into the clothes he remembered her wearing when he helped her sleep so many nights ago. He pulled the blankets over her and left the room. As he closed the door behind him, he noticed Natasha standing in the middle of the hallway.

“That was sweet.” She said quietly, her arms folded across each other. 

“What do you want, Miss Romanoff?” Loki asked, already tired from the night. The last thing he wanted was to be berated by the red-headed woman. She walked towards him, heels clicking against the floor.

“After you left the party with her, I followed you guys. I wanted to make sure nothing happened.” She stated, completely serious. Loki’s eyes never left her pacing form. “She wanted you to kiss her and you didn’t. Why?”

“She was drunk. The alcohol was affecting her brain and chances are she didn’t want it anyway. I would not take advantage of her when she doesn’t have control over herself.” Loki stated simply. 

“You didn’t need to hold yourself back but you did. You didn’t even know I was watching. You could have done whatever you wanted to her and you chose not to.” Natasha paused. “I’m impressed.”

“Thank you.” Loki sighed. “Miss Romanoff, will you do me a favor?”

“What?” Natasha asked, facing him fully. 

“I do not want Alice thinking she embarrassed herself tonight. She will wake up extremely hung over, as you say, and she will likely forget most of what happened. If she asks how she got to bed, will you tell her it was you?” Loki asked, suddenly nervous. Natasha’s eyes softened. “I don’t want her thinking she made a mistake.”

“Of course.” Natasha sighed, shaking her head to get the hair away from her eyes. 

“Thank you, Miss Romanoff.” Loki said, turning towards his own room.

“Natasha.” She corrected. Loki turned back to look at her. “Just call me Natasha.” 

“Well, thank you, Natasha.” Loki nodded at her. She smirked at him.

“And for the record, she did want you to kiss her.” Natasha chuckled. Loki’s eyebrow perked up.

“How do you know?” He asked. A smile graced her red lips.

“She told me she did. And that was before the alcohol.” Natasha winked and walked away, leaving Loki shocked.

He entered his quarters and sat on the edge of his bed. His mind couldn’t process what had just happened. Alice begged him to not only kiss her but sleep with her. Natasha swore that it wasn’t just the alcohol making her want those things. Had Loki been so blind all along? Or was she lying to the god as a way to crush him later on?

Loki looked at the window, seeing the first flakes of snow fall to the ground. He stood up and walked towards the window. In the distance, he saw the trees of the forest hiding in the dark. He decided that he didn't care if she had been fooling him. Loki felt stronger for Alice than he had ever felt for anyone before. This wasn't just infatuation. This was, indeed, love.

He loved her. He needed her. He wanted her more than he could put into words. 

No more waiting. No more hiding. Loki knew he loved her and knew that it would be impossible to wait any longer with holding it in.

Tomorrow, he would tell Alice the truth.

Tomorrow, he would make Alice his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OOF HERE HE GOES. Will he tell her he loves her? Will she feel the same? Guess we'll need to wait and find out!


	20. Confessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go guys! A very long awaited chapter! This chapter was so much fun to write and I'm so happy its finally here! Enjoy!! Comments and kudos are always loved an appreciated, I love love loooove hearing from you all!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 3197

When Alice woke up the next morning, her head was pounding viciously. The light coming from the window wall was too bright. She groaned, throwing her blanket over her head, digging her face into her pillow. Passing out for the rest of the day seemed like a good idea. She could’ve stayed like that all day, except for the fact that her stomach was beginning to churn. Alice mustered whatever energy she had and ran to the bathroom, releasing the alcohol consumed from the night before into the toilet. 

After getting sick, she scrubbed her teeth and washed out her mouth three times before wandering back into her room. As she was about to get back into bed to sleep the rest of the day away, she noticed a small vile of blue liquid on the nightstand next to her bed. Next to the bottle was a note with the words “Take this, it will help” written on it in the most elegant handwriting. 

The liquid didn’t look like anything from this planet. It glowed slightly and sparkled. It was thicker than water but still smooth. It could have been a toxic substance for all she knew, but she didn’t care. If it promised any glimpse of helping, she was taking it. Without hesitating, she downed the blue substance. Within moments, her head began to stop pounding and her eyes became less sensitive. She didn’t feel perfect, but it was a thousand times better than what she had felt before. 

With her new found energy and improved health, Alice changed into clean clothes. As she began to strip from her pajamas, she noticed that her nightwear was crisp and clean. It was odd, considering that these happened to be the pair of pajamas that she spilled coffee on and had proceeded to throw in the hamper for laundry day. Alice let the thought pass, as odd as it was, and just figured it was the hangover screwing up her memory.

After Alice had washed her face, she headed down to the kitchens. Her stomach was growling viciously for her to put some food in it. During her walk to get some food, Alice continued to ponder the events of the night before.

What had happened? The only thing she could remember was that she spent most of the night with Loki, much to her excitement. He had looked absolutely stunning and Alice was thinking about dragging him by his silk tie back to her room the whole night. She remembered that she made a bet with Bucky that she could outdrink him, and after that, she couldn’t remember anything. With her condition this morning, she was positive that she wasn’t close to being capable of changing out of her dress and heels and into her night clothes. She must have gotten help but who…

Alice’s face lit up in a violent blush. Did Loki put her to bed last night? Did he undress her? What did she say? She knew she wanted to jump his bones the entire night, did she let that slip? Did she try to kiss him?

Alice was trying to collect as many pieces of her memory as she could. Everything was a deep blur and nothing was helping. She was so lost in thought that she didn’t even notice she was standing in the center of the dining area, just staring at the ground.

“For someone who drank so much, you look great.” Natasha smirked. Alice looked up, seeing the red-headed woman sat at the otherwise empty table. Alice nodded sheepishly and sat beside her, taking a large plate full of helpings. 

“Someone left some medication on my nightstand. It really helped.” She said softly. Natasha chuckled and smirked down at the table beneath her. Maybe she knew something.

“Potion, actually. Loki left it there for you.” Alice whipped her head to Natasha. Now the fancy handwriting made sense, of course it would, he was a prince. He was bound to be elegant in everything he did. But this only confirmed her suspicion, Natasha definitely knew something. Maybe she knew what happened last night.

“Natasha, what happened last night?”

“You drank a lot.”

“Well, yes, I know that. Other than the drinking though, what happened?” 

Natasha paused as if she were picking each of her next words out from a carefully labelled shelf. 

“After you tapped out of the drinking contest, Loki and I helped you to your room. He made the potion and then left. I got you into bed and changed you into your night clothes.” She shrugged, poking her fork at the eggs on her plate. Alice sat there, thinking over her words.

“Where did you find those clothes, though? The pajamas, I mean.” She asked, biting her tongue in her mouth. Natasha chewed slowly.

“They were left on your bed. You put them there.” Natasha said slowly. Alice raised an eyebrow.

“No, I didn’t.” 

“What? But they…”

“They were in my hamper. There was a coffee stain on the pants so I threw them in the hamper to get washed. But this morning, they were completely clean. Yet everything else that was in the hamper at the time of me throwing them in there, well, they were still in that basket.” Alice looked her directly in her eyes. “What actually happened last night?”

Natasha placed her fork down and ran her hands up and down her thighs. She promised Loki that she wouldn’t tell Alice what happened, but Alice already knew she was lying. She had been put into a corner.

Before Natasha had a chance to speak, the sound of footsteps signaled someone approaching. The two women looked up and saw Loki strut into the room, still wearing his all black suit from the night before. 

Alice’s breath was caught in her throat. He looked so beautiful. His hair was carefully smoothed out and rested gently on his shoulders. His eyes were warm and welcoming as he paced across the room. She wished Natasha wasn’t in the room so she could just run up to him and kiss him tenderly. She had been dreaming about what his lips would taste like for weeks. She may or may not have wished for more than just a kiss in that moment, too. 

Loki turned his head, noticing the two women staring at him. He smirked as he prepared a cup of coffee for himself.

“Like what you see?” He winked, directing it at Alice. Her cheeks heated up and she directed her attention to the food before her. Loki shot Natasha a knowing look, and she nodded subtly in return.

“Well, I need to go take care of some work. See you later.” Natasha smiled, patting Alice on the back. Alice snapped her head to look at the woman leaving the room. She never got her answers.

“Wait, Nat!” Alice called out, but the woman was already gone. Suddenly, she wished Natasha would come back. She looked to Loki who was walking across the dining room to her.

“Merry Christmas, my rose.” He smiled at her, taking her hand and pressing a cool kiss to the back of it. Even now, it still sent chills racing up her spine.

“I’ll be honest, I completely forgot it was Christmas.” She smiled, the feeling of Loki’s lips still on the back of her hand. “Look at you. Memorizing our Midgardian holidays!”

“You people are poisoning me.” Loki fake groaned before sipping his coffee. Alice giggled.

“My apologies, my king.” Alice winked. Loki lifted an eyebrow.

“So you’ve come around to my ruling? Merry Christmas to me, indeed.” Loki smirked. He paused, his lips hovering above the rim of his mug. He exhaled quietly, hoping his nerves weren’t showing. He placed the mug down and looked up to stare into Alice’s sparkling eyes. “It seems I must return the gift-giving favor.”

“Loki, what are you talking about?” Alice asked as Loki circled the table to stand next to her seat.

“Take a walk with me.” Loki smiled gently, holding his hand out. Alice placed her hand in his as he lifted her up from her seat. His heart was pounding in his chest, both from her contact and what was about to happen.

“Where are we going?” She hummed as he led her through the tower. He knew its layout so much better than her, so he could truly be taking her anywhere and she would never have an inkling of an idea of where they were headed. 

“Outside.” He said nonchalantly. 

“Do you have permission for that?” Alice raised an eyebrow. Loki shrugged and chuckled.

“Thor said so, and out of everyone here, he has the most control over me. So I consider that a yes.” Loki looked ahead of him. He was nervous, but he knew that it was now or never.

“Loki, could we stop at my room? I’m not dressed for the weather outside.” Alice asked. Loki paused and looked at her. He pursed his lips and with a wave of his hand, a warm sweater and boots were suddenly on Alice’s body. Alice looked down at the soft sweater. Emerald green, of course. His favorite color. She would never forget that.

But then, it hit her. Suddenly, everything from last night made sense. The clothes she slept in were the same ones she wore to bed with Loki. He must have changed her clothing with his magic. But why wouldn’t Natasha want her to know that? Was Loki trying to protect Alice from thinking that he tried something with her? She wouldn’t begin to think that. She trusted him too greatly.

The walk outside was quiet. The only noise was their breathing in sync and the soft crunch of light snow underneath their feet. As they began to approach the line of trees ahead of them, Alice could hear Loki’s breathing pick up. Was he scared of something? 

“Taking me to the woods to murder me?” Alice laughed, looking up at her friend. Loki smiled gently.

“No, murdering you is not on my agenda…today.” Loki drawled out the last word. Alice knew he would never hurt her, so his comment didn’t even concern her.

“Then what is on the agenda?” She pressed on as they entered the woods. 

“You’ll see.” He answered casually, his voice soft and hesitant. The woods were quiet and hidden. Alice could see the foot prints that deer and rabbits had left in the light snow. It was calming to be here.

They walked another few minutes before Loki paused and turned to her. He was visibly nervous, and it scared Alice. She had never seen him scared before. This was truly a first. 

“Close your eyes.” He requested. Alice paused, looking into his eyes with caution, yet closed hers anyway. Within moments, a cool feeling like water washed over her, leaving tingles on her skin. She recognized it as his magic instantly, and became extremely curious as the reasoning she was feeling it. “Open.” Loki said softly.

When Alice opened her eyes, the once snowy forest had transformed into an oasis of beauty. The snowed over ground they were once standing on had transformed into a bridge made of gold. Underneath is, crystal clear water flowed which came from a massive waterfall that stood proudly across from them. Trees with shimmering leaves the color of gold lined Alice’s vision. The air smelt crisp and fresh. This must have been a dream.

“Loki, where did you take me?” Alice gasped. 

“We’re still in the forest, my rose. I simply cast an illusion over us to make it appear as if we’re somewhere else.” Loki smiled, his eyes never leaving hers. 

“Figuratively speaking then, where did you take me?” She looked up at him. There was something swimming in his eyes that she couldn’t recognize.

“Asgard.” Loki hummed. “My favorite spot on Asgard, more specifically.”

“So you, in essence, took me to Asgard for a Christmas gift?” She grinned, her smile stretching from ear to ear. Loki could easily lie and say yes, but he knew he would never get a chance like this again to tell her the truth.

“Well, sort of. My gift to you is more of a confession.” He shrugged, looking at the waterfall in the distance. His stomach was swirling. He was risking everything he had come to know by doing this. Was it worth it? Loki could lose Alice so easily with his next words. Yet, if he never spoke them, he would never know what could truly become of them.

“What is it, Loki?” She whispered, placing her hand on top of his. She felt sparks run up her finger tips every time she touched him. This time, it was different. The sparks were stronger.

Loki kept his eyes turned away from her. He was too afraid to look her way. He knew she was looking at him with those big, soft eyes. Her lips were probably curled into the gentlest smile. If even dared to look her way, his heart might melt and he would lose his train of thought. It scared Loki how this woman could be both his greatest strength and his greatest weakness.

“You are the most incredible woman I have ever met. I know men on Asgard who would wage wars just to have you look their way. You are so powerful and stronger than anyone I have ever encountered. Your beauty cannot be compared and I have never even begun to feel this way about someone.” Loki paused, glancing down at the confused girl. “You trust me, and that is not a feeling I am used to. You let me confide in you as you do to me. You memorized my favorite food and my favorite poem. You hold me like you’re trying to show me how much you care for me. You go out of your way to show everyone who I truly am. You are everything to me.”

“Loki, I’m honored.” Alice felt tears pricking in her eyes. Her heart was racing at the words he spoke. He would never know how much it meant to her.

“Alice, that is not all.” Loki paused, looking at her with earnest eyes. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that I love you.”

Alice’s heart stopped. Was she hearing this correctly? Had Loki just said he loved her? Her mind must have been fooling her again. How could Loki, a god, love her? 

“Did you just say you love me?” She asked, still in disbelief. Loki swallowed a lump in his throat and nodded, not daring to look at Alice. 

“Yes, please do not make me say it again.” He said quickly, clearly scared because she hadn’t answered him. Alice broke out into a smile, tears welling in her eyes even more than before. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and it felt like it might break right through the skin. Everything she had wished for was somehow coming true.

Some form of confidence within her surged. She reached her hand up, pressing it to Loki’s cheek and turned his face to look at her. She moved her hand to brush against the back of his neck, feeling the soft curls of her hair twirl around her fingers. She began to pull his head down as she stood up taller. Their lips were mere inches away from each other. Alice could feel his cool breath tickle her lips. Without a second thought, she reached up the final inch and pressed their lips together.

They were hesitant at first. Testing the waters of their kiss, their lips moved gently against each other’s. Loki leaned forward, deepening it slightly. His lips pressed to hers, almost as if he was silently asking if this was okay. With a slight press forward, she silently acknowledged that it was certainly okay. He wrapped a hand around the back of her head, cupping the nape of her neck, pressing their lips deeper together. They moved against each other gently, dancing in a slow, sensual tango. Alice’s fingers wrapped in Loki’s dark locks, holding him against her as if the second they pulled apart he would disappear. 

Moments later, they pulled apart. Their breathing was labored, mixing together. Alice sighed happily, her lips turning up into a smile. Loki leaned his forehead against hers, his eyes closed in quiet delight. 

“If the kiss didn’t make it obvious enough, I love you too.” Alice laughed, opening her eyes as Loki opened his. He moved his hands to wrap his arms around her, holding her close.

“You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear you say that.” He breathed into her hair, taking in her scent. He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head, never wanting to let her go. “My beautiful rose.” 

Alice’s fingers tangled in his hair. She didn’t dare let him go. Not anymore. She had been waiting too long to have him here. Too long she hid her heart from him, and now she could finally show him.

“This is crazy.” She whispered. Loki laughed, his arms snaking around her waist to pull her closer.

“Madness. It’s absolute madness.” He murmured, pressing his lips to hers. Alice sighed against his cold lips. It was everything she had imagined and more.

“It doesn’t make sense.” Alice breathed out as Loki pulled away and kissed the top of her head.

“None at all.” He agreed. “But it feels right.”

“More than right.” Alice laughed. She leaned up to kiss him again. She was sure she was dreaming, and if that was true, then she wanted to make this dream last a lifetime. “I’m dreaming. It’s the only explanation.” 

Loki pulled back and unwound his arms from around her waist. She pouted. That wasn’t what she expected. But then, he took both of her hands and held them tightly.

“This is not a dream, my love. This is real. Feel this, feel me.” Loki said as he pressed kisses to the tops of her hands. He pressed them against his chest to feel his heartbeat through his suit. “This is yours.”

“And this is all real?” Alice looked into his eyes. Loki nodded, shutting his eyes.

“Completely and utterly real.” Loki lifted her hands and kissed them again. He needed her to know that everything was true. He pulled her against him once more and kissed her. He let his lips communicate to her that he loved her and needed her, and he had since the moment they locked eyes. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she kissed him. Her skin was on fire and everything seemed too clear. Everything was falling into place. Loki pulled back and cupped her cheek with one hand.

“I love you. That is the truth. That is real.” Loki purred as he flashed her a magnificent smile. Alice nodded and let out a gentle laugh.

“Say it again.” She whispered. She needed to hear it again. She needed to understand it.

“I love you.”

“I love you too. That is the truth. That is real.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY!!! IT HAPPENED!!! Are you guys excited to see what's going to happen from here? How do you think their relationship will progress from here on out? What will everyone else think? Leave your comments below!!
> 
> P.S. now that they're together, maybe they can finally act on some of that sexual tension...so YES there will be smut in this fic. NSFW chapters will be marked with a * in the chapter title. Tags will be updated when it starts, which will hopefully be very very soon ;)


	21. Eternally Yours

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everybody! Now that Alice and Loki have finally admitted their feelings for one another, we can finally see how they expand on them (warning: this chapter is just full of fluff and soft Loki).
> 
> Thank you guys for all the feedback! Comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated! Thank you guys for reading and enjoy!!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 4258

Loki and Alice had been standing in the forest disguised as Asgard, just holding each other, for so long they practically forgot they weren’t actually on Asgard. When Alice went to touch the handle of the bridge they were standing on, her fingers just sliced through the gold, leaving a shimmering green where the bridge handle once was. She sighed, knowing they couldn’t live in this fantasy forever and would have to return at some point.

“What does this mean for us now?” Alice whispered against Loki’s chest. He pulled back slightly and looked down at her. She looked at him with those big green eyes that made his heart race. He brushed a finger across her cheek and offered her a warm smile

“It means we stop pretending there isn’t something between us and start acting upon it.” He said simply, moving his arm so he could run a cold hand through her wind-blown hair.

“I don’t believe this is real.” Alice sighed. Loki pulled back even more and looked at her with a concerned expression.

“Why does this confuse you, my dearest? I already told you that you weren’t dreaming.” Loki questioned. Alice blushed, both embarrassed at her reasoning and flattered by the nickname.

“I’m just a human. I’m nothing compared to the women and men you’ve been with before. You’re a god, and a beautiful one at that. What am I?” Alice asked. She was scared to hear his answer. 

“You’re mine.” Loki answered simply. “If that so pleases you.” 

“Of course it does!” She blushed. She shook her head and continued to press on. Loki paused for a moment, knitting his eyebrows together. “But why? Why me?”

“You’re different from anyone I’ve met. You don’t cower in fear in front of me or look at me with disgust. For some reason, you trust me. You make me feel accepted and loved. No one has done this for me before.” Loki admitted truthfully. 

“What about the others you have been with. Did they not make you feel this way?” Alice swallowed a lump in her throat. She knew there were other lovers he had, but she didn’t want to think about them. She didn’t want to imagine Loki holding someone else or making love to them. She couldn’t stand the thought of his heart belonging to someone else. 

“I’ve never been romantically involved with anyone. Physically, I’ve been with many. Men, women, you name it. But they were all scandalous nights with nothing attached to it. I bedded them and sent them off, wiping their memories as to forget what had just happened.” Loki bit his lip. Alice reached up and traced the backs of her fingers along his hollow cheek. “They were aids in times of desperate loneliness. I wanted love but could never find it. They simply eased the pain of knowing I never had someone to give my heart to, but at least I had someone to give my body to.”

“You are so much more complex than anyone could imagine.” She mumbled. He smirked and nodded.

“You have no idea.” And with that, Loki pulled her in again for a deep kiss. Their lips danced together peacefully. Alice sighed against his lips, content that she was finally able to have this beautiful man all to herself. Her hands found the front of his suit and gripped it tightly. She wanted everything she could get from him, and then even more. He kissed her with enough passion to light a fire, and Loki swore that a day would never pass where his lips didn’t press against hers.

When they finally pulled apart, Loki sighed. He went to fix Alice’s hair while giving her the gentlest smile.

“We should probably go back now.” Loki whispered. Alice bit her lip and shook her head in protest.

“No. Stay here. Stay with me.” She closed her eyes, reaching up to kiss him again. He would never refuse her lips. He had waited too long to kiss her, and now he would never stop.

“Why do you deny this?” Loki mumbled as the kiss broke momentarily. 

“Because I’m afraid that when we leave, this will all be over, like none of it ever happened.” She sighed, her eyes still closed. Loki leaned in again, pecking her lips before tilting her chin up, forcing her to look at him.

“This is not a dream, my rose. How many times must I tell you these words before you believe me?” Loki placed her hand over his chest so she could feel his heart beating. It was racing, hammering against his chest from kissing her. She gasped as his heart slowed. “From this moment on, I am eternally yours.”

“What will we tell the others?” Alice asked as Loki began to lead them out of the forest. The illusion around them disappeared, letting Alice see the forest for what is truly was once more.

“I fear to know their reactions if they should see us together, truthfully.” Loki admitted, his hand wrapped tightly around Alice’s.

“Should we not tell them?” Alice asked, looking up at her new lover. Loki pursed his lips. Of course he wanted to show Alice off to the world. He finally had the woman he had longed for so greatly at his side. Yet, he didn’t want her to receive ridicule from the team. 

“For now, it may be better.” Loki sighed, looking out of the corner of his eyes to watch Alice. “But do not think it is because I do not want to embrace you as mine. That is quite the opposite of my intentions.” 

As the pair got closer to the edge of the woods, Alice dropped Loki’s hand. Her skin felt too warm at the loss of contact from his cold skin. If they were to remain lovers in secret, then they had to pretend as if they were only friends still. Friends did not hold hands and kiss passionately in the woods. 

“Promise me that you won’t forget I exist after we leave these woods?” Alice teased. Loki smirked and whipped her around to face him, pressing his lips to hers once more. She tasted so sweet, he would never be able to get enough of her.

“How could I ever?” He purred into her ear, pulling back and continuing to walk. Alice followed him in a daze. She was so unsure as to how she got so lucky as to have this man all to herself.

 

**

 

“What do Midgardians do to show someone that they love them?” Loki asked. He was sitting on the floor of Alice’s room, fingers running through her hair. They had set up blankets and pillows along the floor, hiding away from prying eyes. It was quiet here, a relaxing silence drifting in the room. It was like they were back in the cells, minus the glass, just bathing in the presence of one another. Alice leaned into his touch, unafraid to show her heart to him now.

“They go on dates, typically. Something casual, like going out to the movies or they go for pizza. Sometimes they do fancier things like go dancing or eat somewhere expensive. Steak and seafood, that type of thing.” Alice looked up at him. “Why do you ask?”

“Well we are ‘dating’ now as you would call it. I want to show you my appreciation.” Loki kissed her cheek. Alice’s lips curled up into a smile.

“I do like pizza. I went without it for years.” She chuckled. Loki hummed and tilted his head, lifting his hand upwards. In an instance, the lights in Alice’s room dimmed, ten boxes of pizza appeared on the floor in front of them, and the television flickered on to show the title screen of Twilight. As he worked on creating everything, he began to hum a tune. That was when Alice finally recognized it.

“Drops of Jupiter! By Train! That’s what you’ve been humming this whole time!” Alice yelped. She sat up on her knees and gripped Loki’s arm. He perked up an eyebrow in interest.

“Yes, it is.” He smirked. Alice threw her head back and laughed. Loki was sure it sounded like wind chimes.

“I knew that tune sounded familiar!” Alice smiled like a child at Loki. “Earth music. You like Earth music.” 

“It was one of the reasons I came down to rule your planet. You offered me slavery and good music. Much better than the music of Asgard.” Loki smirked as Alice swatted his arm. She rolled her eyes as Loki finished creating everything he set up for the date.

“Your sarcasm and magic never fail to amaze me.” Alice sighed as she leaned back into his chilled body. Everything felt so right being beside him.

“Since I can’t take you out physically, I’ll just need to do with this.” Loki grinned, clearly proud of his work. Alice turned more towards him and rested her smaller hands on his thighs.

“That’s a lot of pizza. I don’t think we can finish all that, but it is extra cheese. That’s my favorite.” Alice laughed after peering in the first box. “An absolutely terrible movie though. Completely cheesy and overly dramatic for no reason. But you haven’t seen it yet and Tony was quite insistent upon changing that.”

“If Stark suggested this then maybe we shouldn’t watch it.” Loki rolled his eyes. Alice pressed her hand to her mouth to silence her overwhelming giggles.

“You dug your grave, time to lay in it.” Alice poked his chest. Loki’s hands trailed down to Alice’s waist and gripped her hips slightly.

“I’d rather lie with you.” Loki winked. He pulled Alice onto his lip and pressed a kiss to her lips. It was slow and romantic. There was no rush between them.

“Maybe this movie is good for you, you sap.” Alice whispered against his lips. She felt Loki smile against her, the gentle laughter escaping his lips and reflecting off of her own. The movie played quietly in the background as they kissed on the blankets spread out on the ground. Secrecy and privacy was all they had, and they would cherish every second they could get out of it.

 

**

 

Keeping their relationship, a secret turned out to be harder than it seemed. Now that Loki and Alice had gotten a taste of each other, they couldn’t get enough. It had only been two weeks since they had declared their love to each other, yet everything was already so intense.

Sitting next to each other around the group was impossible. Alice craved Loki’s touch, and she often found her hands wandering in order to feel some sort of his skin. Everything simply felt better when she was closer to him. It was as if all of her worries faded away when he was close to her. He made things clearer for her. 

Loki found it hard to pay attention to anything going on around him. He had become so focused on Alice that everyone else seemed to fade into the background. Now that he knew she loved him, he couldn’t help but always keep his eyes on her. He wasn’t afraid to be caught looking her way. When Alice did catch him, she would blush and brush her hand against his, hinting to him that she loved him.

When no one was around, Alice and Loki couldn’t keep their hands off each other. There was always someone watching, so in the few moments they had alone, they cherished it. As soon as someone left the room, Loki would envelope Alice into his arms, pressing kisses to her cheeks and whispering sweet nothings to her, as he was unsure when their next opportunity alone would be. Loki savored these quiet moments together. He wanted Alice to know that he cherished her, that he worshipped her, and he would simply do anything for her.

Whenever Loki would touch her, Alice’s heart would race. Even the simplest brush of a hand or peck of the lips would send her head swirling. She had never been so close with someone before that everything was a rush to her now. It almost scared her.

It was a dream of hers to make love to Loki. He was so beautiful and treated her so well. The thought of being with him in that way was something that thrilled her and sent warm waves down her spine whenever she thought about it. However, being so vulnerable with a man terrified her. She knew that Loki had had countless intimate lovers, obviously he had told her so. It was because of this fact that she was afraid she would disappoint him. 

Every night after he wished her goodnight, kissing her hand, and then her lips, Alice would be left to her thoughts. She would find her hands wandering at the thought of Loki’s lips on her, pressing over her body. She would feel the heat pool between her legs at the idea of Loki running his cool finger tips down her bare stomach and thighs. She had never gone further than just cooling her skin with the tips of her fingers. She always imagined it being Loki though. Alice thought of him this way even before he became hers, but she would never admit that to him.

He promised her that he would take it slow. He wouldn’t do anything unless she asked him to. This was her first relationship and she was overwhelmed by everything she was feeling. Were things supposed to be this intense this quickly? Was this normal? Or was it just proof that her and Loki were destined to be more than what she ever imagined? 

“Alice? Alice?” Alice was pulled from her thoughts by Tony snapping his fingers in front of her. She looked up, seeing him giving her a confused look. Her eyes flickered to Loki standing behind him. His eyes were swimming with concern, silently asking her if she was okay.

“Sorry, I zoned out a bit.” Alice blushed. Tony perked up an eyebrow.

“Yeah, clearly. Is everything okay, there, kid?” Tony asked as he placed a hand on her shoulder. Alice saw Loki take in a sharp breath behind him. She looked up at Tony and gave him a weak smile.

“I’m just quite tired. I’ve had a hard time sleeping.” She admitted. 

“Why haven’t you informed anyone?” Loki asked. She knew what he really meant by that. ‘Why haven’t you informed me?’

“I didn’t want to concern anyone. It’s not a big deal.” She smiled, getting up from her seat. “What were you going to ask me before, Tony?” She looked to her father-figure, desperately hoping to change the subject. 

“Just reminding you of the meeting we have later. Don’t forget it. It’s important.” Tony nodded at her before turning to Loki. “Frosty, you need to be there too.” 

Loki groaned at the name and rolled his eyes. 

“Anything for you, Stark.” Loki smirked as Tony walked out of the room. The pair stayed quiet until they were sure he was out of hearing range. After a minute, Loki walked around the table and pulled Alice into an embrace. She buried her face in his chest, taking in his smooth scent.

“Why didn’t you tell me you couldn’t sleep?” He whispered into her hair. She hid her face further in his chest, refusing to move when he pulled at her. “My love, please talk to me.”

“I didn’t want to worry you.” She repeated from before. Alice could feel him shaking his head above her.

“My rose, you must not worry about that. I could have helped you. I could have stayed with you and put you to sleep.” He put a finger under her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. “Why can’t you sleep?”

“I can’t stop thinking about those episodes I go into. They hurt so much. It feels like someone is tearing into my mind, and I just don’t want to return to what I used to be.” Alice choked out. Tears formed in her green eyes as Loki hushed her, pressing soft kisses to her face.

“I will never let that happen to you again.” He spoke so strongly. Alice wanted to believe him, but she was terrified of failure. She didn’t want to get her hopes up, only to have her mind destroyed again. She found it easier to just not believe the promises.

“I love you.” Was all she could say in return, pulling his body to hers and holding him tightly against her. At this moment, she could care less if someone walked in the room and saw them. She just wanted to hold him like this forever.

“I will never stop loving you, my dear.” Loki smiled against the top of her head. He knew how much it comforted her when he pressed small kisses to the crown of her head, so he did just that. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” Alice said with her face pressed against Loki’s chest. He leaned back, placing a single finger under her chin, causing her to look up at him.

“Why do you feel that you must protect everyone from yourself?” He questioned her. She bit her lip and closed her eyes. Loki didn’t take his eyes off her.

“I don’t want to hurt anybody.” She whispered. When Alice’s eyes open, they were twinkling with tears. Loki ran his thumb across the base of her eye, catching one of the droplets that was falling.

“You could never do such a thing.” He said sternly, hoping to convince her.

“I hurt Bruce. I almost made him go green. I put all of us in danger.” Alice sobbed. “What’s to stop me from doing that to someone else? To you?” Her eyes were begging for answers, yet Loki had none.

Loki pulled her back into him again, rubbing her back to comfort her. He could feel her weeping slightly against him. He knew she was afraid of herself and the things that were happening to her.

Alice didn’t know it, but Loki had been meeting with Bruce and Bucky every day for the past few weeks to try and figure out what was happening to her. They were working on methods on how to pull her out of the episodes she’s been getting into after their missions. None of them could figure out what was triggering it, but all of them were determined to stop them.

As Loki held her in his arms, he knew he couldn’t stop trying to find answers. This beautiful girl was scared every day of her life. Loki knew the feeling of fearing someone chasing you, but the thought of her feeling that killed him inside. He would do anything to save her. 

Loki ran his fingers through her hair, humming a gentle tune to her. Alice’s eyes fluttered shut as she sighed against his shirt. 

“I swear on my life, I will do everything in my power to keep you safe.” Loki promised Alice as his grip tightened on her. 

Maybe she could find it in herself to believe him.

 

**

 

Alice did not want to go to this meeting. She wanted to stay in her room, cuddled up to Loki, and sleep away the hours of the day. Much to her disappointment, such a desire was not possible. She was sitting in a meeting room between Thor and Loki. A friend on one side and a lover on the other.

Tony was standing at the front of the room, watching everyone file in. Alice could sense that he held great tension in him. He was nervous. Part of her felt she should be nervous too.

She felt Loki’s hand brush against her thigh, his fingers cooling her clothed skin. After crying into his chest before, he had refused to leave her side even for a moment. He was acting like her personal guardian angel, and she loved him even more for it. Alice turned her head slightly to look at him. Loki was smiling softly at her, silently encouraging her to keep her head held high. She nodded back at him and turned to look at everyone else.

Bucky was staring at her, she noticed. His eyes glancing between her and Loki. He perked up an eyebrow. Alice knew exactly what he was trying to say to her. He must have known her and Loki were something more than friends, he was always so keen to everything she did. She brushed it off though and looked at Tony who closed the door to their meeting room.

“Something’s happening.” Tony said. He was blunt, direct to the point. The atmosphere in the room immediately went tense. Everyone’s focus was on the dark haired man at the front of the room. 

“Define something.” Clint said with caution. Tony rubbed his hand over his eyes.

“Three hundred children have gone missing in California.” Tony turned to look at everyone. “And it’s not a killer doing this.” 

“Why do you think this?” Thor asked. Alice could already feel her stomach drop. Tony pulled out a small device and pressed a few buttons. Before their eyes, a map lit up in the center of the table.

“They started in Redding. Police thought it was maybe a deranged murderer. But they’ve been slowly working down the coast. Sacramento, San Francisco, Lancaster. The most recent missing children’s report came from Los Angeles.” Tony began, pointing out the areas where children were heavily missing. 

“What if it really is just some crazed murderer?” Steve asked. Tony chuckled darkly.

“That’s what I thought. Then I looked into it. Three hundred children missing. Three hundred missing children isn’t the work of just a single murderer. It’s the work of something bigger. I looked into each of them. All between ages of seven and sixteen. Many linked to mysterious occurrences.” Tony directed everyone’s attention to the screen. “Dominic Palomino. Age thirteen. Animals listen to him and follow his orders. Rachel Eerie. Age eight. She threw a baseball through three brick walls while playing catch.” 

The faces of a few more children flashed onto the screen while Tony explained their abilities. Alice shuddered. She knew exactly what was happening. It was all too familiar. 

“So twenty kids have powers. What does that mean?” Natasha asked, leaning forward on the table. 

“It means they’re being used for something.” Tony explained. “But it doesn’t completely explain the regular children being mixed in.”

“DNA.” Alice said bluntly. Everyone turned to look at her. She was normally silent during their meetings, so the fact that she spoke was truly groundbreaking. 

“What?” Steve asked with a raised eyebrow. With a sigh, Alice nodded and sat up straighter.

“Those regular kids aren’t just regular kids. Chances are someone in their family had powers at one point so they carry a gene that is able to produce a power.” Alice looked to Wanda. They didn’t speak much with Wanda having her guard up around everyone. Alice offered her a dry smile. “It’s why you and your brother were the only two to survive the experiments on you. Someone in your family had a power before you. You just carried the gene.”

“So whoever is capturing them is using experimentation to bring out powers in them?” Wanda asked. Alice nodded.

“I saw this all before at the Organization. The children were put through experimentation and abuse in order to awaken that gene in them. Once it was brought out, they were turned into weapons.” Alice said. “Whoever is capturing them is putting together an army.”

“But why children?” Clint asked. “Children are weak. Wouldn’t that defeat the purpose of an army?”

“Children’s minds are easier to manipulate and control.” Alice muttered, her eyes locked onto the table in front of her. She felt Loki’s hand on her leg, but even his touch didn’t chase away the memories at this moment. “It’s exactly what happened to me.”

“Then we must stop them from harming those children.” Loki said firmly. Everyone looked to him, surprised to hear his voice and surprised to hear him so adamant to fight against the evil.

“I suspect they’re going to San Diego next. I’ll keep an eye on the reports to see where they’re headed.” Tony said as he closed out the map on the table.

“Why not just go now?” Thor asked, eager to put an end to the madness.

“We want to be sure of where they are and where they’re stationed. We want them settled before we attack so they can’t just move away.” Steve said, already aware of the plan. As an army man, he knew this tactic already.

“Absolutely correct, Steve. I guess that’s why they called you the star spangled man with a plan.” Tony smirked, trying to ease the tension. Steve groaned and muttered something about wanting to leave that part in the past. “Everyone, stay sharp. I’ll keep you updated.” Tony said finally, drawing the meeting to a close. 

Alice sat there, frozen in her seat. She knew what this meant. She knew this was a fight she wasn’t strong enough to handle. She felt a warm hand press to her thigh. Looking to her left, she saw Thor giving her the best smile he could.

“You’ll be okay.” He told her. She nodded, feeling Loki’s sad eyes attached to the back of her head.

It was just as forced as the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo...I KNOW that Wanda didn't get her powers through testing because someone in her family had them BUT it made sense for the plot so just excuse that! Anyway, it looks like there's some danger coming for our characters...what do you guys think is going to happen?


	22. For the First Time*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: NSFW.  
> If you are uncomfortable with nsfw content, a summary will be posted at the end of the chapter!  
> Just a reminder, chapter titles with an * in them indicate nsfw content.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guysssss it's about to get real heated......  
> I know some of you guys have been waiting for this for a long time coming, and here it is!!
> 
> Anyway! Comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated! Enjoy!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 5270

Alice couldn’t sleep that night. She didn’t even try. 

She was paranoid about the meeting. Could her worst fear be coming true? Could the Organization be back? Her facility wasn’t based in California, but there was always a chance it could move. There were only so many super humans in one area. 

She couldn’t stand the thought of other children being put in the way of danger like she was. She knew what they were going to be used for. Their minds and their powers made them practically invincible. An army of these children would mean destruction to the world and themselves. 

Alice was sitting by her window-wall, staring outside at the snow gently falling. She was torn from her thoughts by the soft knocking on her door. She lit a small fire in her palm, not knowing who would dare to enter her room at 1 in the morning.

“Come in.” She said cautiously. The door opened slowly, and there stood Loki. His eyes were tired as he looked over her. When he saw the fire in her palm, he simply smirked.

“Still so scared of me, my love?” He winked while closing the door behind him. Alice sighed and let her hand drop while muttering an apology.

“What are you doing in here?” She asked as Loki crossed the room towards her. He took a seat beside her, slowly easing himself onto the couch.

“Am I not allowed to see my rose?” He smiled in the darkness. Alice smiled and crawled over to him, allowing herself to melt into the comfort of his embrace.

“You’re supposed to be sleeping.” She mumbled. Her fingers found a stray strand to play with on his pants. She closed her eyes as she took in his scent. He smelled like pine and winter. He smelled like home.

“So are you.” Loki smiled down at her. “Which is exactly why I’m here.” Alice fluttered her eyes open and looked up at him.

“What does that mean?” She cocked up at eyebrow. Loki let his fingers run through her hair, calming the tangles within it.

“You said you couldn’t sleep. I figured I would offer some assistance. Maybe ease your mind a bit.” Loki purred. Alice blushed and leaned further into him.

“You drive me crazy.” She groaned. She felt Loki laugh beside her as he dug her out from beside him.

“Good.” He winked before pressing his lips to hers. His mouth was so cool and soft. She sighed into him, letting her arms wrap around his neck and her fingers tangle in his raven colored hair. Loki leaned into her, deepening the kiss. His tongue swiped against her lip, asking for permission to enter. As her lips parted to allow him in, she felt his hands grasp her hips, pulling her onto his lap.

Alice moaned into the kiss, her fingers digging into Loki’s neck. She would do anything to get him closer. He kissed her with a fiery passion, leaving her breathless. Loki pulled back, trailing kisses down her jaw and to her neck. He nibbled at the skin delicately, his cold breath dancing against her.

“This isn’t sleeping.” She teased as he kissed along the column of her neck. Loki chuckled and pulled back up, looking deep into her eyes.

“Is it so wrong to worship you?” He said as he pressed a chaste kiss to her lips. Alice whined, wishing he would press his lips to hers once more. “What’s wrong, my love?”

“Kiss me again.” She begged, tightening her hold around his neck. Loki ran his hands down her waist, his thumbs circling against her hips.

“That isn’t sleeping.” He teased back, mocking her comment from before. Alice groaned and rolled her eyes. She was full of desire for him, and like a wildfire, it was spreading through her entire body. She knew what she wanted. She knew what she needed. Alice leaned forward and pressed her chest against Loki’s. She was leaning slightly above him as she ran her hands along his shoulders.

“Loki, make love to me.” Alice whispered, looking into Loki’s deep green eyes. She saw them widen as he processed what she had just asked of him.

“Darling, are you sure?” He whispered into the night, his hands tightening their grip on her waist. She nodded fervently, the need for him rising in her higher and higher.

“I need you. I need all of you.” She kissed him again. “Please.” 

It was enough to set him off. Loki groaned and lifted her from the couch, carrying her to the bed. His lips were trained on hers as he laid her onto the bed. Her back touched down onto the sheets softly and she sighed against them.

“You have no idea how long I’ve desired this.” Loki smirked as he ran his cold hands down her side. She shivered under his touch, the electricity of their connection running through her veins. 

“Not as long as I have, surely.” Alice giggled while Loki pressed delicate kisses to her stomach. He looked up at her and scoffed.

“Do you dare challenge me, my love?” Loki purred and crawled back up her body. His hands glided up her waist, dipping along her sides. Alice swallowed and wrapped her arms around his neck again.

“Possibly. What are you going to do about it?” Alice whispered. She slid herself up so she could pull Loki closer to her. He chuckled against her and sighed.

“Minx.” He mumbled as he pinched her thigh before connecting their lips once more. It was a strong, passionate kiss. It was soft lips and mixing tongues and gentle moans. It was a promise of what was to come. Loki pulled away and brushed a strand of hair behind Alice’s ear. “Are you sure you want this?”

“Yes. Please.” Alice nodded. 

“I could very well hurt you.” He warned her. She paused and considered this. He wasn’t wrong. Loki was incredibly strong. He always controlled himself around Alice, keeping his actions as gentle as he could. If he got carried away, he could very easily snap her in half. A simple press of his fingers could bruise her for weeks, if he wanted. Alice shook her head, she didn’t care.

“You could never do such a thing.” She smiled and pressed a loving kiss to his forehead. The gesture earned a quiet moan from Loki. It was so simple and sweet, but filled with such passion and promise.

“I love you.” Loki said simply before waving his hand. A cold feeling pricked at Alice’s skin and began to wash over her.

“What did you do?” She asked. He chuckled and winked.

“I cast a silencing spell. No one will hear us.” He kissed down her neck, causing warm waves of pleasure to roll down her body. 

“That’s tricky. You could kill me and no one would know.” She hummed. Alice felt Loki’s lips curl up into a devilish grin against her neck.

“Not before we have our fun.” He pulled back up and winked at her. She scoffed and rolled her eyes dramatically.

“So you’ll use my body and then murder me? That’s not very fair. Tony would have your head.” Alice laughed, tangling her fingers in Loki’s raven hair. She knew he would never hurt her. She trusted him with her life.

“I would never.” Loki whispered, looking into her eyes with overwhelming love. She smiled at him, connecting their lips again. She was so in love with him. She would give him everything she had and search the world for even more if that’s what he needed. She trusted him with her body and with her heart. “If at any point you no longer consent to this, please tell me. I want you to feel only love and pleasure.” 

Alice’s heart swelled. He loved her and she knew that. She wasn’t just something for him to tease and play around with. She had waited so long to be with him in this way. All the restless nights she spent dreaming of him were worth it. The long days hidden down in the cells were worth it. The anticipation of finally being able to touch him was worth it. He was her personal knight in shining armor that she always longed for. And now, she had him wrapped around her. She would never let him go. 

Alice felt the familiar tingle of cold waves begin to wash over her. They pricked the end of her nerves. She knew exactly what Loki was trying to do when she felt the feeling of her pants disappear from around her ankles.

“Loki, stop. Don’t do that.” Alice pressed her hands against Loki’s chest. He looked at her with both surprise and confusion. Alice felt the bottoms of her pants lay against her ankles again. “No magic tonight. I want to feel you taking my clothes off.”

Loki groaned, his grip on her tightening. He kissed down her neck, arousing himself with the action. He sighed into her skin, his cold breath causing goosebumps to rise from the surface.

“You will be the death of me.” He chuckled darkly. With hooded eyes, he looked up at Alice. His queen laying before him. He swore that he would pleasure her so wonderfully, she would never even consider looking at another man. 

Loki’s fingers trailed down Alice’s body. They gripped the end of her shirt and pulled it over her head. Her chest, bare from wearing no bra to sleep, was exposed in front of him. He sighed pleasantly, moving his large hands up to cup her breasts delicately, as if they were two flowers in his hands. 

“So beautiful.” He mumbled, leaning down to press a kiss to the center of her breasts. He pushed them in his hands, massaging the muscles while licking tiny stripes over her pink nipples. His touch shot electric sparks up through her body. Alice whined, the noise coming like a symphony to Loki, as he played with her chest. He could spend the rest of eternity making her whine like she was. 

“Loki…” She sighed. Alice gripped his hair. She needed him closer. She needed him everywhere.

“What do you need, my love?” He whispered as he rubbed her nipples between his fingertips. She moaned and raised her back from the bed, arching it like Cupid’s bow. He was in awe of her. Every part of her was perfection, and he could never get enough of it.

“I…I don’t know. I’ve never done any of this before.” She admitted with red cheeks. Loki pressed a kiss to the middle of her stomach before working his way back up her glorious body. He made work of taking off his shirt, the room suddenly too hot for him. He was hard, extremely so, and he had barely even touched her. 

Alice looked at his bare chest, gasping at the sight. The lean muscles were covered by pale skin, illuminated by the moonlight. She ran her hand down the expanse of his skin, drinking in the sight of her lover before her. She was speechless. She was about to make love to a god.

Loki closed his eyes at the touch of her hand. He preened at her contact and worship of him. He basked in her love and would trade every throne in the nine realms to spend the rest of eternity with her.

Loki adjusted himself so he could slide down her body. He placed soft kisses down her stomach to the waistband of her sweat pants. He hooked his long fingers into the band and pulled the pants down her lean legs. The gray pants fell to expose her womanhood covered in black lace panties.

“Did you plan this?” Loki laughed. A blush crept onto her face as Alice shook her head.

“Surprisingly, no. You just picked a good day.” Alice laughed. The fact that they could tease and joke around in this moment made her heart skip a beat. There was so much genuine love between them, and for some reason, it aroused her even more than she already was. 

“Technically, you picked this day to make love.” Loki purred as he ran his hand over her clothed center. The lace was thin and Loki could feel the wetness soaking the cloth. His cock hardened as he touched her, solely at the knowledge that he was making her feel good. 

Alice whimpered at the touch to her most delicate part. His fingers were cold as they brushed delicately over her core. She had never been touched there by another man before. His touch was so gentle and teasing, she craved so much more. She wanted everything he could give to her.

“Loki, please…” She sighed, pushing her hips down so he would apply more pressure with his hand. Her head dropped back onto the pillow as her fingers scratched at the white sheets. She looked down at Loki through hooded eyes. His deep green eyes swam in lust, desire laced in his every breath. His thumbs pulled down her panties, revealing her delicate center to him. He spread her legs gently in order to get a proper view.

“Let me show you what it’s like to be worshipped by a prince.” Loki smirked. He adjusted her legs, pushing them upwards slightly so he could have a better angle. He took in the sight of her. She was bare and on display for him. Her hands were twisted in the sheets and her soft lips were parted. Her eyes were dilated so large that there was hardly any green left in them. He groaned before leaning down and licking a long stripe up her folds. Alice gasped, a moan leaking from her mouth before she could silence it. She quickly put a hand over her lips to help drown out the noise.

“Let me hear you, my love. No one can hear you but me.” Loki said as he kissed her most intimate parts. “I have waited so many months to hear you cry out in pleasure like this. Do not deprive me of it.” Alice nodded and moved her hand back to the crumpled sheet. A deeper heat pooled between her legs at his words. She was positive it was impossible to be as turned on by him as she was.

Loki continued to taste her, lapping up everything he could. He never took his eyes off her. She was too beautiful in this moment. Her back was arched and moans were escaping her lips, filling the room with her pleasure. One of her hands was wrapped tightly in the sheets while the other moved so she could touch her breasts. He moaned against her at the sight of Alice touching herself. 

He went in faster, his tongue circling her clit then going back to her folds, licking them tenderly. He could see her cheeks becoming more and more flushed, and he knew exactly what she needed next. Loki moved his hand to her center, rubbing the skin so gently as if she were petals on a flower. He heard her gasp, whining his name with her eyes screwed shut. Carefully, he took one finger and began to insert it, taking his time to bring it to the knuckle.

“Oh my god.” Alice sighed, opening her eyes to look at Loki. He came up for air, his lips slick with her taste. He smirked at her as he began pumping his finger in and out. “That feels amazing. Oh, please don’t stop.”

“I told you, my love, you will be worshipped tonight.” Loki crooned. Alice whined at the intrusion, his finger relentlessly pumping in and out of her. He could see her arms and legs trembling.

“More, oh please give me more.” She moaned, throwing her head back again. Loki lifted an eyebrow, thoroughly impressed at his woman.

“Already? But we’ve only just begun.” Loki curled his finger as he spoke. Alice yelped and grabbed his hair, keeping him close to her center. He chuckled, going back down to tease her clit with his tongue.

“Loki, please.” Alice cried. She needed to be filled, she needed every inch of him. “Please, I need more. I need you.”

How could Loki say no to such beautiful whines? He carefully inserted a second digit, basking in the moans of his lover. She writhed in the bed, crying out and grasping his hair harder. She pulled the locks, bringing his face as close as possible to her core. Loki moaned against her as he rocked his hips against the bed. He needed the friction. He needed to feel her around him, but he wouldn’t rush her. Tonight, she was the one to be the center of attention, and she would be his queen. 

“I’m ready.” Alice cried in between her beautiful moans. Loki pulled his head up to look into her eyes. He never paused the movement of his fingers in her. He wanted to draw her pleasure out for as long as possible.

“Are you sure?” He asked softly. She nodded eagerly, her hands moving to his shoulders. Her body was on fire and she needed to touch him to cool herself down. 

“Please. Please, Loki, make love to me, now.” Alice moaned. Loki couldn’t resist it any longer. He pulled his fingers from her, licking them clean to taste her one last time. 

Loki stripped himself as he watched Alice shaking on the bed. Her cheeks were flushed, her lips were red from her teeth biting them, and her hair was messier than before. She was like an angel lying in the center of the bed. Her eyes flicked down to look at Loki completely naked. Now she was sure he truly was a god, because humans could not be so beautiful or so well endowed. He was longer than she ever imaged, thick at the base with a gentle curve. His cock was an angry shade of red from how hard he was. Alice looked back up into his eyes with a blush staining her cheeks. Loki smirked and leaned down to kissed her. She wrapped her arms around him, relishing in the taste of herself on his tongue, and sighed into his mouth.

Loki lined himself up with her, rubbing his cock against her folds to arouse her even further. Alice moaned into his mouth, and Loki loved it. He loved that he was pleasuring her after desiring to do so for so long. 

“Tell me if it hurts or if you need me to stop.” He mumbled as he moved her arm so he could hold her hand. With that, he pushed into her body, slowly and as gently as he could. Her virgin pressure around him squeezed his cock deliciously, and he was eager to have more. Alice’s eyes were screwed shut and tiny pants were dropping from her lips. Loki paused and felt her hand squeezing his. He brushed his thumb along the back of her hand and pressed a kiss to the base of her ear. “Take your time, my love.”

“I’m sorry, you’re just big. Really big.” She gasped. She opened her eyes to look into Loki’s. They were filled with passion, lust, and love. He caressed her cheek with his lips, planting tiny kisses along her face, jaw, and neck. He whispered sweet nothings to her. Alice’s heart pounded in her chest as she urged him to continue. Loki pushed in further until he was fully sheathed inside her warmth. He gave Alice her time to adjust. He was so proud of her little body for taking all of him.

“I love you.” Loki whispered in her ear as he began to thrust back and forth into her. Alice’s moans were delicious as she scraped her fingernails down the long expanse of Loki’s back. Her nails left sharp, red marks in their wake. Loki hissed at the feeling as his hips snapped into her. Her head was thrown back as Loki pushed into her faster and harder. His groans were going straight to Alice’s center, making her even more wet than before.

“More.” She whispered, kissing his collarbone. Loki grunted, picking the pace up with his hips as he thrusted into her. He pushed her legs forward to angle into her deeper. Alice cried out loudly, and Loki was suddenly thankful that he had learned that silencing spell. The last thing he needed was someone interrupting this moment of pure bliss. 

“You are the greatest wonder in this universe.” Loki moaned into her ear, causing Alice to whine in response. “I would do anything to stay like this forever.” 

His hips were rapidly pushing into her. The new angle allowed for Loki to hit her pleasure spot perfectly. Tears sprung into Alice’s eyes at the pleasure. It stung, yet it felt so beautiful. The way Loki’s hands were on her, his words whispered into her ear, she truly felt like a queen. 

“L-Loki. Please, it feels so good. You feel so good.” She cried out. Her tears were trailing down her cheeks. Alice felt Loki’s finger brushing the salty wetness away but more tears filled their place.

Nothing had ever felt so good before, so real. Being connected like this, Alice felt like everything in her life was truly complete. Loki loved her, that much she knew. But he was showing her that he did in every way possible. The way his hips were pushing into hers at an unrelenting pace, his hands gripping her skin hard enough to leave bruises, it was all so pleasurable. His cold breath was reflecting off her lips as he moaned against her. She was pleasing him, and she loved it. She loved that he was falling apart on top of her, raven hair hanging over his shoulders as his forehead shined with a layer of dewy sweat. She never wanted this moment to end. He was her everything and she would do everything in her power to make him feel as good as he was making her feel.

So, she pushed her hips up so he could take her deeper. She threw her head back as she pulled at his hair. Loki must have liked that, since a deep growl escaped his lips at the pressure being applied to his head. She cried out his name over and over again, knowing he loved hearing the way his name spilled from her lips like a prayer. She looked directly into his eyes, watching his ocean eyes fill with lust. She rocked her hips against his, getting his cock as deep in her as she could. He was so large that she felt like she was being ripped in half, and she wanted everything. 

Alice felt something coil in her like a burning rod. She felt her stomach pulling in all directions. Something was blossoming in her and she wasn’t sure what it was. It felt like a flood pressing against a dam, barely holding onto the pressure. She looked at Loki, her eyes begging for an answer.

“Go ahead, my love. Release for me. Give to me your pleasure.” Loki encouraged her, his own orgasm chasing him like a wild bull. He was holding it in for her, he wanted her to hit her peak first. He would always put her first. 

With two more thrusts, Alice’s back arched off the bed as she let her orgasm consume her. Like a tidal wave, it washed over her body, leaving her nerves shaking and her chest heaving. When Loki felt her tighten around him, he let his own pleasure release, filling up his lover completely. 

The two laid there, wrapped together like a pile of limbs. They kissed slowly as if time had stopped completely. Loki pulled out, feeling his seed drip from her. She whined at the loss, desiring to be filled with Loki once again. He waved a wet rag into existence and cleaned between her thighs, pressing one final kiss to her center before making the rag disappear. 

Loki hopped off the bed to collect their discarded clothes. They were thrown around the room as if a tornado hit. As Loki walked over to where his shirt flew off, he heard Alice gasp. He turned his head so see her covering her mouth.

“Loki, I am so sorry.” Alice said. She pointed to his back. Loki turned to look into the mirror across the room to see his back covered in red scratches. He smirked as he admired the marks.

“My kitten likes to scratch, I see.” Loki turned to look at Alice. She was sitting in the center of the bed, her naked body still flushed red. He collected his clothing and walked back over to her. He traced his thumb along her jawline and grinned. “I love them.”

“Does it hurt?” Alice squeaked out as she kissed the pad of his thumb. Loki shook his head and sat beside her.

“Not one bit. Claiming me as your own I see. That’s quite sexy.” Loki chuckled. Alice’s cheeks burned red and Loki found it fascinating he could still make her blush so easily. Carefully, he placed his shirt over her shivering torso and slid her panties up over her legs. When he crawled back up to Alice’s face, her eyes were full of love and content.

“That was incredible.” She sighed, as Loki adjusted her so her head was laying on his broad chest. “I love you.”

“I love you endlessly.” Loki hummed while Alice traced imaginary figures into his pale skin. Her mind was wandering, and it terrified her. 

Alice curled up to him and rested her head against his chest. She could feel his heartbeat in his chest, racing under the skin. She never understood how she had this effect on him but she tried not to question it. Questioning it might make Loki question it too. 

“Won’t Thor notice your absence?” Alice asked, her eyes flickering up to look at him. 

“I placed an illusion of myself sleeping. Thor won’t know the difference.” Loki winked at her as he ran his fingers through her hair. “You’re worried.” He said softly, hoping that she would open up to him.

“I’m fine.” She sighed.

“Lies.” Loki said simply. Alice knew better than to try and sneak one past her lover. He always knew when she was being truthful or not. “Did sex not sedate your wandering mind? Maybe we’ll need another round to relax you.” Loki purred. Alice giggled but knew he wanted the truth.

“Okay, yes. I’m worried. Terribly worried. I can’t get the faces of those children out of my mind.” Alice propped herself up on one elbow so she could look at Loki’s face. He looked like an angel laying on her bed, cheeks flushed, lips swollen and his head resting gently against her pillow. 

“It reminds you of yourself.” Loki ran his hand down Alice’s arms. He was hoping to calm her nerves through his gentle touch. Alice nodded, her eyes wandering off into the darkness.

“What if it’s the Organization?” She whispered. “What if that’s why I keep having these episodes? What if they take me over again?”

“I won’t let it happen.” Loki said firmly. 

“Loki, be realistic. My mind is so weak right now. I keep going under. What if you can’t get me out?” Alice begged him to hear her. She knew he wanted to be her hero but what if it wasn’t possible? “I can’t go through it again. I can’t kill people like that again. I’m not strong enough.”

“We will do everything in our power to save those children and to save you. If it is the Organization that’s doing this, then we have an advantage. You know how they operate. We won’t give up until we win.” Loki assured her. Alice took a deep breath.

“I need you to promise me something.” She looked into his eyes.

“Anything.”

“You’ll hate me for asking this.”

“I could never.”

Alice took a pause. She knew she was about to ask a lot of Loki. She knew it would break him. Part of her wanted to stay silent, but she knew what she needed to do.

“Promise me that if I go under, and nothing works to get me out, you’ll kill me.” 

“No.”

Alice sighed. She knew he would say that. She needed him to understand that her death would be a better solution that letting her live.

“Please? I need you to do this for me. I can’t live like that. I can’t hurt anyone else. If they get their hands on me, and I can’t escape their hold, you know they’ll have me go after you guys. They’ll turn me into a weapon again, I can’t do it.” Alice slid closer to Loki. She placed her hand on his chest, directly over his heart.

“I can’t do that to you.” Loki whispered. “I can’t lose you.”

“I trust you.” She assured him. She leaned down and kissed him. Alice poured everything she could into that kiss. She needed him to understand that she trusted him and loved him with her whole being. Loki’s arms wrapped around her body, pulling her directly on top of him. When they pulled apart, Alice rested her forehead against Loki’s. “Please.”

Loki stayed silent. His eyes were shut tight as he evened out his breathing. Hurting Alice was the last thing he ever wanted to do, and now she was asking him to kill her. It would be impossible. He said he would do anything to protect her, but was this really it? He had come so far in trying to show her that he loved her. It took him months to realize it, himself. He couldn’t let her go, not anymore. They had been through too long of a battle to get here, intertwined in bed with love in their eyes. He couldn’t give that up.

But he knew that he had to. Loki knew that if it came between a life in the Organization or death, Alice would always pick death. He didn’t want her to suffer, and truthfully, he knew that if it had to happen, he could end her swiftly and painlessly. He would make sure everything was peaceful for her. He couldn’t trust anyone else to do it. 

Loki opened his eyes and stared into Alice’s. He needed to memorize her face, her body. He wanted to imprint the details of laughter in his mind. He wanted the sound of her heart beat playing on repeat for the rest of his life. He needed to make sure he would always remember her. 

“If there is no other solution, then I will do it. It will break my heart more than you will ever imagine, but if it means you’re safer, then let it be so.” Loki closed his eyes again. He couldn’t back out anymore. But, he promised himself it would never come to that. He would die trying to protect her if that’s what it took.

“I love you.” Alice kissed him once more before rolling off of him and curling into his chest. She found so much comfort in his embrace. It was if Loki’s arms were like a barrier between her and her nightmares. For once, Alice let sleep wash over her with no concerns, and fell into a peaceful slumber.

“I love you, my little warrior.” Loki kissed the top of her head. “I will never give up on you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Summary: Alice has trouble sleeping due to the meeting. Loki comes to her room to help her fall asleep, but they end up making love for the first time. Afterwards, Loki can tell Alice is troubled, and she believes the attacks on her mind on from the same group kidnapping the children. She admits she's afraid of being captured and turned back into a minion soldier, and proceeds to ask Loki to kill her if she cannot be saved. Loki hesitantly agrees, but promises that he will never let it happen to her.


	23. Exposed*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: NSFW Content   
> Summary will be posted at the end if you are uncomfortable with this!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the first half of this chapter has some nsfw stuff going on in it, just a heads up! ;) Thank you guys for reading and comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated! Enjoy
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 3771

When Alice woke up in the middle of the night, she realized she was alone. She stretched out her limbs only to find that the person that was once occupying the bed was no longer there. Her fingers ran over the spot where Loki was once laying. She fluttered her eyes shut and relayed the memories of earlier in the night. A warmth pooled between her thighs. 

Panic suddenly found its way to Alice. Why did Loki leave? He told her that he loved her, and brought her to his side with such warmth and affection. Did he regret what they did? Did she push him? Alice’s eyes opened to look at the dark ceiling. She knew it was too good to be true.

She sighed and sat up, only to notice he truly had not left.

Loki was standing on the other side of the room, peering out the wall-length window. The moon was reflecting off his skin like a marble statue. His torso was bare while his legs were covered with soft pants hanging low on his hips. He didn’t notice that she woke up, and was still facing away from her. 

Alice adjusted the blankets around her so she could slide out of bed. Her legs were bare other than the panties Loki put back on her before she went to sleep. She was swimming in one of his shirts, his scent wrapping around her like a snake. As she crossed the room to her lover, she noticed the soreness in her center. For some reason, it only made her desire for him heighten.

Once Alice reached Loki, she wrapped her arms around his stomach and pressed her cheek to his back. His skin was cool and comforting against the warmth of her cheek. She splayed her hands out so her fingers could trace the indents of his skin. She felt him take a deep breath in and roll his head backwards slightly.

“What are you doing awake?” She asked, kissing his back delicately. 

“I could ask you the same thing.” Loki chuckled as he turned around so he could face her. His left arm wrapped around her while his right hand came up to trace along her cheekbone. Her lips curled up into a beautiful smile. Loki never wanted that happiness to fade. “My beautiful rose.”

“Don’t ignore my question.” Alice warned him. She pulled her head away from his hand and stood up taller to look him in the eyes. 

“Didn’t you blatantly ignore most of my questions for a good period of time?” Loki smirked. Alice rolled her eyes and poked him in the side. Loki scoffed at her jab and moved his hand down to pinch her ass. She squeaked and swatted him, though the pinch sent another wave of arousal through her. At this point, she’d be fine with him turning her around and fucking her against the wall. Oh, how things have changed. 

“That’s different.” She laughed, tilting her head up so he could kiss her. Loki placed on finger under her chin while he captured her lips in his. Their lips moved in a slow dance together. There was no rush in their love. When they pulled apart, Alice looked deep into his eyes. She could see sadness in them. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“I’m restless due to your requests.” Loki sighed, pulling away to sit on the couch. Alice paused and watched him sit down. He leaned forward, holding his face in his hands while his elbows rested against his thighs. She bit her lip and watched him sit in despair. Alice followed him, standing before him to run a hand through his jet black hair. He looked up at her and relaxed into her touch. Alice moved to sit next to him, and curled into his side while taking his hand in hers. They were a mirror image of hours earlier.

Alice had asked Loki to kill her if she returned to her mindless murderer state at the hands of the Organization, if it was even them in control of what was happening in California. He was appalled and terrified, but he knew it was for the better. He wouldn’t let her live in so much pain, but he wasn’t sure how he would manage to complete such a task.

“I’m sorry.” It was all she could say. She didn’t regret asking him, but she did feel bad that she had to. She knew it was an impossible decision for him to make but she trusted him to do it. Alice refused to fall victim to those villains again. She knew Loki would never let any harm come to her, but if it happened, death would be easier than life.

“I’m just not sure I’m strong enough for that, quite frankly.” Loki admitted. He tightened his grip on her hand. He wasn’t strong enough to lose her.

“You’re the strongest person I know, Loki. I wouldn’t ask you this if I didn’t think you couldn’t handle it.” Alice whispered. 

“Your standards are low.” Loki scoffed, shaking his head. Alice sighed and dropped his hand, pulling herself onto his lap to fully face him. Loki’s hands held onto her hips, his thumbs running along her hipbones. 

“I trust you with my life, Loki. Obviously you know that now since I’m asking you to take it if need be.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her forehead against his. “I’m sorry. I don’t want it to come to that.”

“It won’t.” Loki said firmly, gripping her waist tightly. Alice pushed forward to kiss him passionately. She loved him, and she didn’t want to hurt him. She needed him to know that this would be for the better. “Don’t make me do it.” Loki mumbled against her lips.

Alice just kissed him further. Her hands tangled into his hair as a wetness surged between her legs. This was highly inappropriate and she knew that, but she needed him. Maybe submitting to him would help ease his mind. She would give as much of her as she could to him before they needed to leave for this mission.

“I love you.” It was all she said as she ran her hands down his torso. She felt the muscles flex under her fingertips. A moan escaped Loki’s lips at her soft touch. He wanted those hands everywhere.

“Don’t make me lose you.” Loki groaned as she kissed her way down the column of his neck. She could feel him swallow at her touch. 

“Let me take your mind off of it.” She whispered against his skin. Loki held her tighter as if she may blow away if he was to ever let go.

Alice placed her hands over his to release his grip. Loki pulled back to look into her eyes. He refused to let go off her. She pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek as he pulled his hands away from her hips. Carefully, she slid down onto the floor and knelt in front of Loki. She pushed Loki’s knees apart to make an opening for her to sit between. He ran a hand through her hair and looked down at her with curiosity. 

“My love, what are you doing?” Loki questioned while running his long fingers through her hair. She closed her eyes and preened at his touch.

“Apologizing. Helping you. Loving you.” Alice looked up at her beautiful lover. His cheeks were hallowed as he stared down at her. There were so many things he was feeling in this moment. Sadness, regret, curiosity, love, lust. She could feel it all radiating from him as she ran her hands down his long thighs.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Loki’s chest was moving with ease. His pale skin was glowing from the moon. He was a vision of beauty.

“Knowledgeable? No. Not at all. Ready? Yes. Completely and utterly ready.” Alice smiled as she leaned forward to tug his pants down. He was mostly hard as she held him in her hand. A soft groan escaped Loki’s lips as she slowly moved her hand up and down his shift, erecting him fully. 

“Alice…” Loki trailed as Alice flicked her wrist. His chest was moving up and down faster, tongue swiping across his lip.

Alice was fascinated by the reaction she was getting from her man. She was making him feel good, incredibly good. She knew she wanted to make him feel more pleasured than any other man or woman he’s ever been with. She wanted to be the one he remembered. So, she eased her head forward and licked a stripe up the underside of his cock.

Loki tossed his head back at the contact, moaning loudly into the night. His hand reached forward to wrap into her hair. His fingers tangled in the brown locks, causing Alice’s scalp to burn from the pull. She didn’t care, though, it felt good. She wanted him to feel as good as he made her feel. His reaction encouraged Alice, and she licked the tip eagerly. Loki was practically panting now. She swiveled her tongue around, eventually taking the head of his cock in her mouth.

She sucked at him, tasting his precum on the tip of her tongue. She hallowed her cheeks and took him in deeper, moaning around him. His moans were delicious above her, and were causing her own body to fill with warmth, wetness, and pleasure. She bobbed her head eagerly, taking in as much of him as she could. His hands were wrapped tightly in her hair as he watched her pleasure him. Her eyes shot up to look at Loki. They were filled with tears and lust. Loki growled, suddenly filled with the urge to get inside of her. 

Loki tugged her upwards so she released him from her mouth. He pulled her back up onto his lap and pressed his lips to hers hungrily. He wanted to feel her everywhere, taste himself on her, and make her feel as good as she made him feel.

“Let me fuck you.” He growled against her lips. She whined in response, nodding quickly. Loki pulled his shirt off of her and pressed his face against her breasts, pushing them and pressing deep kisses against the skin. His fingers went down to her panties, pushing them to the side as he rubbed his fingers against her. She was so wet and her clit was throbbing.

“Don’t tease me.” Alice said with a shaky voice. Loki looked at her and smirked. She was so eager for him. 

“But you look so beautiful like this, my dear.” Loki purred while working his fingers against her clit. He could see her eyes tearing up even more. She chest was heaving at the pleasure he was giving her. Her hands were tightening on his shoulders as she held herself together. She was being so good for him, and Loki simply had to reward her for that. Loki slid his fingers away from her clit and filled her with two of his digits. Alice cried out, tossing her head back at the sensation of being filled again.

His fingers worked into her quickly. He was eager to have her, and he needed to make sure she was ready to take him. His fingers curled inside of her, motioning them towards himself. Alice gripped his shoulders and let out a loud cry. Loki pulled his other hand away from her hip and let the silencing spell cast over them again.

“Am I being too loud?” Alice laughed out through her moans. Loki pressed a kiss to her collarbone and let out a gentle chuckle as he pumped his fingers into her harder.

“Never. I want you to scream out for me. I could care less if all of this blasted tower heard you cry for me. I’m simply doing this to save us from being interrupted by the neighbors.” Loki said as he curled his fingers again. Alice threw her head back, her hair tickling her bare back, as she cried out Loki’s name. Loki sucked deep bruises into her collarbone. If he couldn’t tell anyone that she was his, he would certainly show them. He wanted everyone to know who made her cry out in the middle of the night, who made love to her in the dark, and who owned her fragile heart.

Loki pulled his fingers out slowly as Alice whined at the loss. He slid his hands down her back and cupped her waist. He pulled her forward and moved his fingers so he could rip her panties in half. He wanted nothing to get in the way of their night together.

“Asshole. Those were my favorite pair.” Alice smirked, but was soon cut off as Loki began to push his cock into her. Alice’s bold demeanor flew out the window at the sensation of Loki filling her to the brim. Suddenly, Loki’s hand collided with her ass.

“Watch your language, little one. You wouldn’t like me angry.” Loki purred as she sat fully on his lap. Alice’s cheeks were completely red at his comment. She definitely wanted to see him angry.

Loki’s hands gripped her hips, moving her body up and down against him. The sight of his beloved grinding on him, head tossed back, breasts bouncing had him weak. He pulled her body forward in his lap to latch his lips onto her neck. He began sucking bruises into her neck and collarbone, again. The purple and red marks looked fabulous against her skin, and he wanted them covering her. His teeth nipped the skin while she rode him.

“Mine.” He growled against her skin. With sweat beading onto her forehead, Alice nodded.

“Yours. All yours.” She agreed. Her hands gripped Loki’s shoulders as he pounded in and out of her. He was filling her to the brim with his shaft and she wanted more. She began to move her hips with his, trying to get as much of Loki as she could get. His large hands splayed across her back, gripping the skin with sweaty hands. 

“Take me. All of me.” Loki said with a thick voice. His hips adjusted so he could thrust into her harder. His hips snapped into her with vigor. Alice cried out choked sobs, the pleasure overwhelming her. Her legs were shaking from the sparks of pleasure crawling down her spine. 

“Make me yours. I want you everywhere.” Alice said as she bounced on his lap. Loki ran his hands down her skin, feeling the sweat under his fingertips. His girl was working so hard to please him and it made him so proud.

Loki pulled her body against him so their chests were pressed together. His lips found her ear and kissed the side of her head. His hands gripped her waist hard enough to leave bruises there, as well. He snapped his hips up, the new angle letting him hit her pleasure spot perfectly.

“You make me feel so good, little one. You feel so good wrapped around my cock. So tight.” Loki stressed the last word as he let his strokes in her speed up. “I would do anything to stay inside you forever.” 

“Loki...” She voiced with shaky breaths. She could feel her orgasm sneaking up on her like a shadow. Loki could feel the heat coiling in his groin as well. His cock pulsed into her harder, wanting her to reach the edge at the same time as him.

“Cum for me, Alice. Do it.” Loki growled as he pumped into her. Alice’s toes curled and her fingers gripped Loki’s shoulder. The waves of her orgasm crashed over her, pushing her over the edge of pleasure. She tightened around Loki as he released deep into her. He rode out his orgasm, pumping into her a few more times before letting his hips ease. His lover was laying spent in his arms, her breathing labored and her limbs weak.

“I love you.” Alice sighed against him as he pulled out from her. He cleaned her as he did earlier in the night before he carried her into the bed. He waved his hand and her panties reappeared on her as if he had never ripped them. He heard her chuckle at the gesture as she let out a dreamy yawn. He placed his shirt back onto her before she curled into him.

“I love you, my rose.” Loki’s soothing voice whispered to her as she drifted off into peaceful slumber.

 

**

 

“Good morning, my love.” Was the first thing Alice heard when she stirred from her sleep. She cracked open her stiff eyes and turned her head up to see Loki lying next to her. His arms were wrapped around her waist and his face was only inches from hers.

“Hi.” She blushed as he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. 

“You finally slept.” Loki grinned. 

“It helps having a super beautiful god lying next to me.” She winked. Loki perked up an eyebrow at the compliment. 

“Cheeky.” Loki purred, pulling Alice closer to him so their bodies were touching. Alice giggled at the contact, her heart racing slightly. As he leaned down to kiss her, Loki heard Alice’s stomach growl.

“Ignore it.” She sighed, reaching up to his lips. Loki pulled back and chuckled.

“Your wellbeing comes first. We must eat.” He insisted. 

“Kissing you is good for my wellbeing.” Alice mumbled. Loki simply laughed and rose from the bed. Alice groaned and dropped her head back onto the pillow. “Jerk.” 

“I try.” Loki winked. Alice propped herself up and threw a pillow at Loki as he entered the bathroom. His back was completely bare, the pale skin showing no signs of her nails scratching down it last night. She would be lying if she said she didn’t miss the red marks signaling that he was hers. The smile was bright on her face as she got up from the bed. Immediately, she noticed the throbbing pain between her thighs, causing her to stumble over. Her memory flashed back to the night, making love to Loki twice in the evening. His marble sculpted body both over her and underneath her. He was perfection.

Alice limped across the room over to her dresser where she began to pull out her clothing. As she searched through her clothes, she looked into the full-length mirror. Her hair was tangled and messy, her lips were raw from kissing Loki. Her thighs were still shaking and her center was throbbing slightly from being used for the first time. She ran her shaky fingers along her collarbone, adorned with small bruises from Loki’s biting.

“You look beautiful.” Loki said from across the room. Alice turned her head to see him leaning in the doorway of her bathroom, his gray pants hanging low on his hips.

“I look like a mess.” She admitted.

“A beautiful mess.” He winked at her as he crossed the room. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing his chest to her back.

“You only think I’m beautiful because you turned me into this mess, you cocky bastard.” Alice giggled. Loki rolled his eyes.

“I plead guilty.” Loki purred, pressing a kiss to the top of Alice’s head before pulling away to return to the bathroom. 

“I can’t walk around the tower with these bruises, Loki.” Alice said as she ran her fingers over the little marks. They were all over her skin. She’d be called out in an instant.

“I quite like them, though.” Loki returned to the doorway of the bathroom. Alice gave him a scolding look.

“I love them, but everyone else won’t!” She laughed. Loki rolled his eyes and crossed his arms across his bare chest.

“I’m afraid I’m too fond of marking you as my own to care what the others think.” Loki winked. Alice groaned as she began looking through her clothes.

“You’re going to get me in trouble if I can’t cover these.” Alice muttered. She heard Loki’s laughter behind her. Alice picked out a sweatshirt to cover her bruising, hoping no one would notice. As she slipped on the garment and tamed her hair, she realized she truly didn’t care if anyone noticed. She loved being Loki’s and she wanted to shout it to the world.

For the first time in a while, she felt completely content.

 

**

 

“You’re distracting me.” Alice mumbled as she flipped her pancakes. Loki was currently pressed against her back, his lips trailing down her neck. He hummed against the skin at her protest.

“I thought you said kissing you was good for your wellbeing.” Loki chuckled, brushing her hair away from the other half of her neck. He could see one of the bruises he left on her neck peeking out from the material of her sweatshirt. He praised himself internally as Alice groaned.

“It is when I’m not trying to cook!” She laughed in disbelief. “Besides, I thought you were going to be a good man and cook me breakfast.”

“That would involve me knowing how to cook, my love.” Loki mumbled against her skin. She rolled her eyes.

“Can you really not flip a pancake?” She smirked. She felt Loki shake his head behind her.

“I grew up as a prince. Everything was done for me.” Loki moved to stand next to Alice. He watched her flip the food in the hot pan.

“That’s what I call privilege.” She winked at him. 

“If it would please you, I will learn how to prepare these breakfast cakes.” Loki gestured towards the pancakes. 

“Pancakes.” Alice corrected him. “And actually yes, that would please me.” She smiled as she turned off the stove and slid the pancakes into their respective plates.

“I can think of other things that may please you, too.” Loki pulled her against his body, wrapping his arms tightly around her. Loki kissed her passionately, keeping her body pressed firmly against his. Alice felt Loki grow stiff beside her, causing her own core to grow eager again. She sighed into the kiss, forgetting the cooling pancakes and wrapped her arms around his neck. 

They stood there together, completely forgetting about time and space. They moved together, kissing and showing each other that they loved one another. It was just the two of them alone together, sharing their love. Until it wasn’t.

“What the fuck is going on here?!” 

Alice and Loki pulled apart and looked over to where the voice came from. Suddenly, time stopped.

In the doorway was Tony Stark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary: Alice and Loki make love again later in the night after Alice apologize for asking Loki to kill her. She doesn't regret it but she is sorry. In the morning, Alice and Loki are in the kitchen preparing breakfast when they get distracted. Loki starts kissing Alice, only for Tony Stark to walk in and see them kissing.
> 
> \--
> 
> SO TONY SAW THEM. OOF. What do you think is going to happen? How will Tony react?


	24. Fighting with Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! I loved all the love and feedback on the last chapter! Also, we're almost at 4k hits which I never thought would be possible so thank you so much to everyone who has been reading and leaving comments/kudos. All your support really inspires me to write better, longer chapters and I'm so happy that you guys are enjoying this fic so much. 
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are loved and appreciated, and thank you so much reading, enjoy!!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 3930

“Let me ask this again. What the fuck is going on?” Tony seethed with anger. Alice pulled away from Loki and stood in shock. Loki stepped forward with his hands out in defense.

“Tony, allow me to explain.” Loki said gently. He could see Tony’s face visibly changing shades in front of him.

“How the fuck did this happen?” Tony yelled. He looked between the two, not sure who he was asking. Alice was gripping the counter behind her for support. Her heart was pounding against her chest.

“We’ve always been close, Tony. It just kind of happened.” Alice said softly. She looked over to Loki who was smiling back at her. God, she wished Tony would leave so she could kiss him again.

“Bullshit. What did you do to her?” Tony directed his anger at Loki.

“I did nothing.” Loki said softly with a raised eyebrow. A playful smirk danced onto his face while he looked at Tony. 

“You don’t want to tell me? Fine. I’ll just shoot it out of you instead.” Tony held his arm out and whistled. Within seconds, the arm of his Iron Man suit was covering his arm. The blaster in his palm was charging up. Alice jumped in front of Loki.

“Move out of the way Alice, I need to blast this asshole.” Tony growled.

“Tony listen to me. He didn’t do anything to me except love me. I agreed to everything completely. Please understand.” Alice said while coming closer to Tony. His brown eyes glanced back and forth between Alice and Loki.

“This is insane.” Tony groaned.

“It was bound to happen eventually. You knew even before I did that I liked him.” Alice said softly. Loki looked down at Alice with an amused expression. So everyone knew that his little mortal was interested in him? How adorable.

“I never thought it would actually happen though.” Tony sighed. He lowered his arm slightly, but it was still held out defensively. “How do you two even plan on making this work? He’s some blue alien who lives for thousands of years and you’re some human who lives for, what, eighty?”

Alice paused. She never really thought about that. How would they make this work? If they were truly going to be together, how much would Loki want her as she aged? Sure, he seemed okay with her not being able to have kids now, but would that stay the same in a few years? He was a prince, surely he was expected to have an heir. Would her body even be able to handle carrying an heir for him, if he somehow could fix her?

Would he love her when her powers began to fade with age and she no longer wanted to live an exciting life? When she became old and gray and unable to fulfill his wildest fantasies, would he still want her? He would still be full of youth and life while her beauty left her. Would he be willing to hold her hand as she wasted away in her bed? And then, when she was gone, would he be okay? Would he move on from her? She couldn’t be mad if he did. She wouldn’t be able to live with him forever, and she couldn’t expect him to live another four thousand years in solitude. Alice was selfish, though, and the simple thought of him tenderly wrapping his arms around another person, kissing their soft cheek, and making love to them under the stars left her feeling sick. She didn’t want that. She wanted Loki to be hers until the end of time. But, physically, it was impossible.

Loki noticed Alice’s drop of enthusiasm. It was like a wave of realization and sadness washed over her being and wouldn’t ease away. He would be lying if he said that this wasn’t something he had not thought about before. It kept him awake at night knowing that he had such little time with Alice, and even a shorter amount of time with her age matching his. When she finally did pass, would Loki be able to live another 4,000 years without her? He knew there was a solution, one that was dangerous and certainly forbidden by Odin, but he didn’t care. He loved her.

“I have a way of making her Asgardian.” Loki mumbled. Both Alice and Tony looked at him with surprised eyes. 

“How?” Alice turned slightly towards Loki, her arms still braced on Tony. Her tone was desperate as she looked into Loki’s eyes. He pursed his lips as he thought of his next words carefully.

“Odin would have my head if I told you but it is possible. My dear, one day I will take you to Asgard and show you.” Loki promised her. Alice smiled softly, her heart knowing his words to be true. Tony scoffed and let a chuckle slip from his lips.

“If daddy dearest ever lets you come home.” Loki stiffened. He already knew it was impossible to travel back to Asgard with his head still on Odin’s watch list. Loki would be a fool if he ignored all the ravens flying around Stark Tower, peering into his window and just staring at him with those beady black eyes. Yet, Frigga could help him. She could smuggle what he needed to Thor, who in turn would then smuggle it to Loki. Loki could cast a mist over him to avoid Heimdall and Odin from seeing him. The energy it would require to hide himself from two of the most powerful eyes in the universe would be extremely taxing on him, but he could do it. He could do it today if he wanted. 

“I have my ways, Stark.” Loki purred. His head tilted to the side. He was testing Tony, and Tony knew it. Tony swore he wouldn’t give in but it was so hard to not want to punch the god in the face. 

“So now you two are talking about being together forever? I thought it was just some sex-crazed fantasy you wanted to live out.” Tony spat towards Alice. Loki chuckled.

“I wouldn’t mind such a life together. But, in your defense, Stark, the sex-crazed fantasy was indeed lived out, too.” Loki smirked, leaning with ease against the counter. Alice’s eyes popped wide in shock. Tony lifted his arm up and shot a blast at Loki, who dodged it easily.

“I’m going to fucking kill you.” Tony growled. Alice grabbed onto Tony’s arms tighter and held him back.

“Yes, okay, he can be a jerk but, Tony, I promise he’s nothing but wonderful to me!” Alice begged. Tony pushed passed her and made his way to Loki, shooting blasts from his hand at the dark haired man.

“She’s too good for you! She’s too innocent! You’re ruining her!” Tony yelled, continuing to shoot beams of energy at Loki who was dodging the blasts coming at him from every direction. 

“Tony, stop!” said a new voice. Natasha ran into the kitchen, holding her friend back. Alice ran to Loki who then covered her body with his as if to hide her away from the danger. “What is going on here?”

She had heard the sound of Tony’s blast from a few rooms over. Her immediate thought was ‘what did Loki do?’. So, upon entering the room to see Tony’s palm turned towards the god was not overly surprising to her.

“I caught Loki kissing Alice!” Tony growled, turning to look at a wide-eyed Natasha. The room was quiet for a long time.

“It’s about time.” Natasha mumbled under her breath. Everyone turned to look at her.

“What the fuck did you just say?” Tony yelled. 

“Tony, relax. They’ve been crushing on each other for the longest time. I’m not surprised.” Natasha shrugged. Alice was surprised by Natasha’s reaction. It was the last thing she expected to hear come from the red head’s mouth. 

“Miss Romanoff…” Loki began. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to say.

“I told you to just call me Natasha.” Natasha smiled at the long-haired man. Alice looked between the two, clearly confused by their interaction.

“Excuse me. I thought you hated him!” Tony yelled. Natasha looked over to Tony and shook her head.

“I used to. But he’s only proved that he can be trusted.” Natasha shrugged. 

Tony looked at Alice and Loki. She was gripping onto his arm as he shielded her body from Tony. He held her protectively, as if he was ready to jump in front of a bullet for her. Tony could tell she trusted him. He sighed, dropping his arm and letting the piece of suit on him fly back to its holding chamber. 

“Do me a favor, then.” Tony said, looking visibly defeated. “Don’t hurt her, because if you do, I’ll fucking kill you.”

“If I ever do hurt her, I give you full permission to do so.” Loki said softly, walking towards Tony. “You have trusted me with your home and your team. Please trust me with your friend.” Loki pleaded. He extended his hand out, waiting for Tony to shake it and make peace. Tony looked down at Loki’s hand.

“To be honest, I’m not okay with this. I don’t know if I ever will be. But she’s like a daughter to me and if you somehow make her happy then fine.” Tony sighed. He looked over to Alice and pushed past Loki, without shaking his hand, to stand in front of her.

“Tony…” Alice began before Tony pulled her into a tight her. His arms were strong around her. 

“I love you, kid.” Tony mumbled into her ear. “Be careful.” Tony pulled back and patted her on the shoulder. He turned towards Natasha and clapped his hands together. “How does alcohol for breakfast sound?”

“Breakfast of champions.” Natasha smirked, leading Tony out of the room. Alice stood quietly at the side of the room, her hands gripping the marble counter. Loki walked over to her slowly before stopping in front of her.

“I guess the cat’s out of the bag.” Loki mumbled. His eyes flicked up to look at the girl standing across from him. “Are you alright?”

“Of course, we don’t need to hide anymore.” She smiled gently. Alice moved her hand to rest on top of Loki’s. A smile graced his face.

“I can finally show my queen to the world.” Loki winked. He pressed a kiss to the top of Alice’s head before pulling back and heading towards the door.

“Where are you going?” She asked, walking after Loki. He turned and smirked, mischief evident in his features. 

“Like I said, I’m going to show my queen to the world.”

 

**

 

The feeling of being out in the open with Loki was overwhelming for Alice, to say the least. Every hallway they would turn down with their hands locked together would earn a suspicious and surprised glance from anyone passing by. Loki thrived off the attention, pulling Alice into his side and pressing a cool kiss to her cheek whenever someone would stare too long. 

If Loki was feeling even more daring, he would pull her into a closet and take her right then and there. He would make sure everyone could hear them. After taking her from behind in whatever closet he locked themselves in, he would lead her out and walk her past the blushing faces of Stark Tower. He thrived off the attention, and she would be lying if she said she didn’t like it at times. After they would walk past everyone, a majority of the time, they would end up back in Alice’s room, repeating their actions again.

The sex was incredible, and Loki was positive no one would ever be as good for him as her. She was so willing for everything he gave to her, and he would do absolutely anything to please her. He took her in every place someone could possibly be taken in her room. On the bed, against the walls (including the window), over the desk, on the couch, on the floor, in the bathroom (everywhere in the bathroom). They were insatiable when it came to one another. He would, more often than not, leave daring bruises from his lips decorating her skin. She didn’t bother covering them up anymore, everybody knew what they did behind closed doors. Alice was full of pride knowing that Loki was all hers, and she wanted nothing more than to show him off.

The team held mixed reactions to their romance. Members like Bucky and Thor were happy to hear that the sexual tension had finally be solved between the two, while other members like Clint wished it remained not acted upon. For the most part, though, everyone was happy to finally clear the air between Alice and Loki. They knew how long this had been building up, and to finally let it go was a relief in itself.

Tony, however, was anything but happy. Whenever he saw the two together, he would demand they separate. He would send Alice to go visit Bruce’s lab or he would tell Loki he was needed in training. Regardless, he wanted to see them apart from one another. 

Despite the constant onlookers, Alice was happy with Loki. She loved being able to wrap her arms around him without worrying about someone seeing. She loved being able to pull him into her room at night without Thor searching for his missing brother. She loved the way he pleasured her every night as if it was his job. It was as if everything was finally falling into place.

Everything was good, except for the mission.

There were no updates from the California children that had gone missing. Tony was relentless. He was constantly doing research to find out what was happening. He stayed up through the night to try and find a stable location for their fight. It was unlike him to be so sick over a mission, but maybe it’s because he was sure they would lose.

Alice’s advice of these smugglers creating an army of super children haunted him. It kept him awake at night. He tossed and turned, his mind searching for ways to be able to destroy the creators of this project without harming the individual children. A part of his brain wondered if it would be easier to just destroy everyone involved, including the kids. 

Because of his worrying, Tony had instructed all members of the team to be training as often and as hard as possible. Every training sector had been unlocked for them, aiming to strengthen the members to whatever was to come. He knew they were all strong, but were they truly strong enough?

All of the team was practicing together in the early afternoon. They were taking turns fighting one another in order to learn different fight patterns and defenses against different powers. Alice had been the focus of this session. Everyone was trying to tear through her but her offensive elements were becoming too tricky for physical fighters to handle.

She had just taken down Steve when she heard another round of applause erupt from the viewing bay beside her. She helped Steve up and hugged him, feeling him laugh against her body.

“You’re crazy, Alice. I don’t know how you’ve become so strong.” Steve smiled down at her. Alice pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and shrugged.

“You guys help more than you would believe.” Her lips curled into a smile as Steve began to walk out the door, the bottoms of his pants singed from the fire Alice used against him. 

“Who’s next, then?” She heard Steve say among the chattering members as she took a swig of water. Suddenly, everyone went silent. Alice turned to see Loki standing across from her in the room.

“No.” She said to him, placing her water down. Loki smirked.

“Why?” Loki purred, taking long strides towards her. His dark suit contrasted his pale skin and the white walls drastically, making him look like a panther stalking towards its prey.

“I don’t want to fight you.” Alice said softly as Loki stood right in front of her.

“Afraid I might hurt you, my rose?” Loki questioned, though Alice could tell he actually meant it. He brushed his index finger down Alice’s cheek. “I would never do such a thing.”

“More like I’m afraid I’ll hurt you.” Alice winked. Loki lifted an eyebrow and scoffed. He turned his back towards her as he walked to the other side of the room. When he turned around, his suit was transforming into his Asgardian battle armor. Alice took in a deep breath, not sure whether to be turned on or afraid of the man in front of her. 

“I’d like to see you try.” Loki teased. He was very aware of how strong his lover was. He knew she could hurt him quite easily. Yet, he wanted to push her. He wanted her to be unafraid of being strong and powerful. He wanted her to see how incredible she was. 

Alice looked over to see everyone with their eyes glued to the couple. No one was sure what would happen. Alice smiled back at Loki and lifted her palm, allowing a small fire to ignite in the center.

“I love you.” She winked before hurling the flame Loki. He swiftly dodged her attack with a roll of his eyes. 

“So sure you’d get the first blow in?” Loki chuckled as he sent Alice flying back with a wave of energy towards her. She hit the wall with a thud and slid down it onto her knee. She saw Loki step forward, his hand out in concern that he hurt her, but she got up fine.

“Worried about your opponent’s safety? How cute.” Alice tilted her head as she began to fill the room with water. Loki looked down at his feet to see the water rising up. Loki looked Alice in the eye as he placed his hands out, attempting to stop the rise of the water. Alice felt his magic pulling against her and she willed her powers to outweigh his. 

Loki let his hold on her slip so she thought she had the upper hand. He smirked and uttered a curse that magically bound her hands closed. Alice gasped and tried to pull against his hold but her hands felt like they were glued shut. Despite how hard she tried, her fists wouldn’t open. She growled as Loki made a dagger appear in his hand. 

“The key to success is cutting off the source of power.” Loki sighed as he waved his hand over the water in the room. The tiny waves were once lapping around his knees began to fade away as he made the water disappear so the room was dry again. He turned towards Alice and winked at her, slowly making his way towards her. 

“I agree.” Alice said before stomping her foot into the ground. The room shook as spikes of Earth rose from the ground and hit into Loki’s crotch, sending him flying across the room. Once Loki’s concentration was cut, Alice was able to free her hands from his spell.

“Hitting me in my crotch is implying that it’s my source of power.” Loki laughed as he lifted himself from the ground, dusting off his thighs. 

“It’s not half bad.” Alice giggled as she sent more fire flying towards the other man. He dodged every bullet of flames while sending his own daggers hurling towards Alice. She quickly created a wall of rock to block the incoming knives. When she heard them stop, she looked around the pillar to see Loki smirking at her from across the room. 

“So much talent.” Loki smiled sweetly at her. Alice didn’t want to hurt him, and he didn’t want to hurt her. It was just training, but she couldn’t stand the thought of seeing him bleed.

“I could say the same for you.” She sighed. Alice began to walk towards Loki. He was giving her such a sweet smile, and she wanted to kiss him more than anything. Once she got directly in front of him, she put her hand out to touch his chest. Her hand went right through Loki’s chest as the image of him disappeared in front of her. Suddenly, there was an arm around her waist and a dagger pressed to her throat. 

“Never get comfortable with your opponent.” Loki whispered in her ear. Alice lifted her hands up to pull the dagger away from her throat. She knew Loki wouldn’t hurt her, but the thought of him being only one motion away from killing her was terrifying. 

“Asshole.” Alice smirked, an idea popping into her mind.

“Do you yield?” Loki purred in her ear. Alice shook her head and allowed the palms of her hands to heat up around Loki’s dagger. The metal of the knife began to melt. Loki looked down at his knife in shock before Alice ground back on his crotch, earning a whimper from Loki. He released his grip slightly, allowing Alice to wiggle out. She turned around quickly and kicked him in the gut, sending Loki toppling backwards. Before he could move, she conjured a ring of fire around her lover, causing him to stay stuck on the ground. The ring began to get hotter and hotter as it shrunk in around Loki, giving him only a short amount of time before the flames touched his skin.

“Do you yield?” She winked back at him. Loki laughed and placed his hands up in defeat. They could hear the cheering coming from the observation room at Alice’s win. Even now, Loki was still an opponent that the other members didn’t want to face. Alice let the fire fall to ash around him before helping him up from the ground.

“That was both terrifying and sexy.” Loki whispered in her ear. Alice blushed as his arm hooked around her waist. “Maybe we should move this party somewhere a bit more private and you could grind against me a bit more.” Alice pulled back and nodded eagerly.

“Sorry, everyone. I’m done for today. A bit too tired for this.” Alice called up at everyone. They knew exactly what was about to go down, particularly Thor. Loki seemed to get too distracted by his lover for silencing spells recently.

She grabbed Loki’s hand and pulled him towards the door. She needed him, and she needed him now. Seeing him in his leather battle armor was too tempting, and after all the teasing he had done during their fight, Alice was in no shape to be without him any longer.

Before the pair exited the room however, the doors slid open. There stood Tony Stark. He walked into the room, shaking his head.

“Not so fast.” He mumbled. He stared down at the lovers’ interlocked hands. He groaned and shook his head. He turned his attention towards the group of heroes sitting in the viewing bay. 

“Tony, what’s going on?” Alice asked. Tony’s eyes were lifeless. He was exhausted and stressed. 

“The smugglers. They stopped moving three days ago. They’re in San Diego.” Tony said, looking into Alice’s eyes. She swallowed a lump in her throat. 

“What does that mean for us?” Alice asked. She already knew the answer. She knew she needed to suit up and leave.

“We leave tonight.” Tony said bluntly. 

He spun on his heels and left as quickly as he came.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh. It's time for the Avengers to head out on their rescue mission. What do you think is going to happen to everyone?


	25. Like the Last Time*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: NSFW Content!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know it's Friday night BUT I just realized I won't be home at all on Saturday so I'd rather update earlier rather than later! So, here you go!
> 
> This chapter is genuinely nothing but pure smut, so if that makes you uncomfortable, realize that nothing else happens in this except for that the team leaves for their mission!
> 
> Comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated! Thank you all for reading and enjoy!!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 4669

Everything became a blur for Alice. The room was definitely spinning; she was sure of it. The room might have even been turning upside down. Everything was kicked into motion with that one sentence. “We leave tonight”. The words crawled up her spine.

She wasn’t ready. Would she ever be ready? It was unlikely. She was about to face her worst fear: her past. She was going to dive head first into it and relive it. She was going to be surrounded by three hundred versions of her younger self. Those children would look at her with desperate eyes, the mantra of “save us” leaving their lips before someone flipped a switch in their brain and commanded them to attack. Would they even be old enough to be at that stage? It wouldn’t matter. Would the person controlling them care? Not at all. Would they be strong? Of course they would be. 

The only thing that anchored Alice to the spot where she stood was a strong set of arms braced around her waist. Loki. It would always be Loki. She felt his nose pressed to her hair, his lips exhaling a gentle breath over her scalp. His fingers drummed against her skin, rubbing tiny circles into her hips. 

“It’s okay. You’re okay. I’m here.” He whispered. He learned those words helped. He was here. He would help her. 

“Loki, get me out of here, please.” It was less of a question than a command. She needed him to remove her from this before she got too dizzy. She felt herself moving forward but she was positive she wasn’t controlling herself. Alice had been so confident of this mission as she trained. What happened? Why was she shutting down before they even left?

Her eyes flickered over to the viewing bay. Almost everyone had left, already getting ready to leave. Bucky and Steve stood at the window. Bucky’s arm was wrapped around Steve’s waist, his face pressed into the blonde man’s shoulder. Steve had a phone open, and Alice could just barely hear him talking.

“I’m looking for Mr. Parker. Yes, this is his uncle, I need to call him out of school.” Steve lied through his teeth as Bucky held onto him. Was Peter getting involved? He was too young. 

Suddenly, Alice was in the air. Loki was carrying her, his feet speeding up their pace to get her to her room. She felt sick. She needed this to end. Her eyes shut and her head rolled into Loki’s chest. He smelled like winter. Pine and wood and ice. If ice had a smell, at least. She was sure it did now. 

Alice heard a door close. Everything was quiet. She opened her eyes to see the cool light of her room. She looked up at Loki. His face was solid. His mind was elsewhere, she could tell. Alice wished she could send her own somewhere else. 

“Are you okay to stand?” Loki mumbled. Alice nodded slowly. He carefully placed her on the ground, yet never let his hands leave her body. She turned in his arms so she could look into his eyes. They weren’t green. They weren’t blue. They were a mixture of both. An ocean. 

“Loki…” Alice trailed off. She wasn’t sure where to begin. She wasn’t sure where to end. There was a hurricane of emotions running through her. “How long until we leave?”

“Six hours.” Loki said. His face was still hard. She didn’t like it. She wanted to lay him down and run her hands over the hard lines in his skin. She wanted to smooth out the wrinkles and shut his eyes. She wanted him to look like the peaceful marble statue he always looked like. 

“I need you to do me favor.” She leaned into him, her hands trailing up his arms. They were still covered in his leather armor. “Fuck me.”

“I beg your pardon?” Loki raised an eyebrow. It was the last thing he had expected to hear from her.

“I need you to make me forget about this. Make me forget this stress and this fear.” She whispered. “Make me feel good again.”

Loki, of course, was not one to shy away from a chance to make love to Alice. Almost every night he would pleasure her in some way. Yet, in this moment, he was unsure. She clearly wasn’t in a proper state of mind. He didn’t want her regretting anything.

“Darling, I don’t think you are quite sure of your requests.” Loki said as she trailed her hands over his leather armor. It was hard under her fingertips, causing a wave of lust to rush through her. She’d be fine if he never changed out of this for the rest of his life.

“I am, Loki. I want this. I want you.” She swallowed. “This may be the last time we can.” She stressed her words. Alice didn’t want to explicitly say what she meant. She might get captured. She might get hurt. She might die. Loki might be the one to kill her if things went wrong. She needed this.

“Don’t say things like that.” Loki pressed his hand to her cheek, his fingers pressing against the tense skin. His tongue trailed over his lip, unsure of what to do.

“Please. I need you.” She choked out. She reached up on her toes to press her lips to his. She needed to feel him. He kissed her back with passion. He was beginning to realize it too. He may never hold her like this again after tonight. Their lips danced together, knowing their need. His tongue peeked against her lip, and she let him in. She always would. 

When they pulled away, Alice’s breath was labored. Her hands were tangled in Loki’s hair. They always seemed to be wrapped in his locks. She flicked her eyes up at him.

“Fuck me, Loki. Fuck me like it’s the last time you ever will. Rough. Hard. Fast.” She pushed her chest against him to get him closer and closer. Loki let out a growl.

“I will make you feel so good you will forget every ounce of pain you have ever felt.” Loki smirked. Confident, wasn’t he? Alice smiled. She loved him desperately.

Her hands detangled from his hair reluctantly in order to grip onto his neck. Loki swiftly picked her up and carried her over to the bed. This wouldn’t be vanilla, she knew it. She needed something different. Something carnal raged inside of her. It itched at her skin and tore at her organs. Alice held a desire that only Loki could calm. Whatever he would do, she trusted him.

Loki practically tossed Alice onto the bed. She bounced on the mattress slightly before she perked herself up on her elbows. Loki loomed above her. His hooded eyes cast shadows down his face. His long eyelashes fluttered against his perfectly smooth skin. His lips were wet and deliciously pink. Alice wanted to feel them everywhere. 

“Let’s make this simple, shall we?” Loki purred. He looked at her without question. She didn’t need to answer. Loki flicked his wrist and suddenly a green light washed over them. His leather armor faded to nothingness, leaving him bare and exposed in front of her. Her mouth watered as her own clothing faded off her body. Simple, it was.

Alice reached up, wrapped a firm hand around Loki’s forearm and pulled him down. She kissed him as if her life depended on it. She kissed him as if it would be the last time. It very well could be. Loki sunk against her. He would always be weak for her. When they pulled away, Alice fluttered her eyelids. 

“What can I do for you, sir?” She practically moaned the last word. It wasn’t anything Loki had heard from her before. The idea floored him. Being worshipped, isn’t it what he always wanted?

“You already know.” Loki smirked, flipping them over. Alice did know, of course. She got off the bed and kneeled at its side, waiting for Loki. He stood before her, pale and long and glorious. She looked up at him through her lashes, wet with desire.

“Don’t be gentle.” She said as she wrapped her hand around his thigh. It twitched under her touch and she loved it. His skin was cool, as it always was, and calmed the heat that surged through her body. 

“If at any point it becomes too much…” Loki looked down at her with warning. He wouldn’t be brutal with her, but this wasn’t what she was used to. He didn’t want to hurt her or scare her.

“I know.” She smiled up at him. Loki’s heart fluttered. He ran a hand along her cheek, his fingers memorizing the patterns of her skin. A dip here, a freckle there. Beautiful. He licked his lips as he moved his hand into her hair. Alice’s eyes closed as he gently massaged her scalp. He wouldn’t be easy with her any longer, but he needed to communicate to her that he loved her first. He tugged at her hair, causing Alice’s eyes to open quickly. She got the hint. He pulled her hair forward, earning a moan from the kneeling girl as he forced her lips around him.

“Good girl.” Loki moaned. Alice loved the praise. She took him deeper, as deep as she could. She relaxed her throat and tightened her cheeks. Her tongue flattened beneath him. His hands were tangled in her hair as he thrusted his cock between her lips. Her eyes were watering as he held her still. She wanted to be good. 

Alice tried to bob her head back and forth, hoping to take in as much as Loki as she could. She felt her man moan above her and without even looking she could tell he had thrown his head back. She tightened her lips and began to moan around him. His breathing was becoming ragged above her as she licked all around him.

Between the mix of Loki’s moans and the heaviness of him on her tongue, Alice was becoming too aroused. She needed some form of release. She trailed her fingers down to her slit and began rubbing them in circles over her clit. Her moans became deeper at the pressure being applied to her core. The stimulation was too much to handle and she could feel herself getting close.

Alice was so focused on her fingers and Loki’s cock in her mouth that she didn’t notice Loki roll his head forward to look back down at her. She heard a growl and before she knew it, he pulled her off his cock with a slick pop. Her lips were wet and red and her chest was heaving. Her watery eyes looked up at Loki in confusion. 

“Are you touching yourself?” He asked. Alice nodded as she paused the movement against herself. Loki shook his head and sighed. “I thought you were supposed to be good.”

“I am.” Alice panted. Loki pursed his lips and knelt down in front of her to look into her eyes. 

“No, you’re not.” Loki took her chin between his fingers. “If you were good, you wouldn’t touch yourself. Not without my permission, at least.” His words were sharp and it sent chills down Alice’s spine. She nodded quickly.

“Yes, sir.” She quickly said. Her eyes glanced down at Loki’s lips. She wanted to kiss him.

“I’m not happy.” Loki sighed, leaning in to Alice as if he was about to kiss her. Her breath tightened, her eyes never left his lips. “I thought more of you.”

“I’ll be good.” Alice whispered as she leaned forward. Their lips were almost touching. She felt Loki’s cold breath tickle her skin. She felt him chuckle.

“Of course you will be. You’ll have no other choice.” Loki pulled back and suddenly, Alice’s arms were forced behind her back. A rope appeared and bound itself around Alice’s wrists, restricting her movements. Loki stood back up slowly and ran a finger down Alice’s cheek. “Proceed.”

Alice leaned forward and took him back into her mouth. She eagerly bobbed her head and kept her eyes locked on Loki. She swallowed as much as she could of him. She choked around him, her eyes completely full of tears. They were beginning to fall from her eyes and trail down her cheeks. He was relentless, his hand grabbing her hair and his hips pushing in and out of her mouth. Her wrists strained against the restraints around them. Her tongue curled under his cock, and with that, he released into her mouth with a shout. She swallowed every salty bit, and after he pulled out of her mouth, she licked up the extra that ran over her lips.

“Now that’s a good girl.” Loki leaned down and pulled her up. He wiped the tears from around her eyes and released her hands from behind her back. “I’m not done with you, yet.” 

He flipped them around so Alice was laying on her stomach on the bed. Loki pushed her so her ass was in the air, and without warning, he delved his tongue into her. Alice let a scream leak from her lips. Her hands flailed around the bed, reaching for anything she could grab onto. 

Loki’s large hands spread her before him, allowing him to press his face completely against her core. His tongue lapped her up as if this was his last meal. He tasted every drop of her, he desired it. He was growing hard again against the bed sheets. He mentally blessed himself for being a god, and therefore having the stamina of one. 

“L-Loki…” She whined. Her cheek was pressed against the sheets. Loki pulled back and replaced his tongue with two long fingers. He didn’t allow her time to adjust, he just began pumping them. Alice moaned deliciously, causing a new wave of arousal to wash over Loki.

“What do you want?” Loki crooned as he thrusted his fingers in and out of her. 

“More.” Alice gasped. Loki shook his head and slowed his fingers down. 

“You’ll take what I give you.” Loki said with ease. His fingers were moving unbearably slowly now. Alice groaned. She couldn’t even see him. She couldn’t give him her best begging eyes from this angle. She was beginning to believe he chose this position on purpose. 

“Please. Please Loki. I need it.” Alice cried out. Loki hummed and ran his other hand down her back. A gentle layer of sweat was beginning to pool on her back.

“I do enjoy you begging.” Loki said. He tilted his head to the side to look at Alice’s face. Her eyes were screwed shut and her lip was being worried between her teeth. She was panting softly and her cheeks were flushed a sweet apple red. She was a vision. 

Loki began to notice Alice’s body quaking slightly. He looked back to her ass to see her thrusting herself on Loki’s fingers. She was trying to take more than she was given, and that certainly wouldn’t do for Loki.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Loki growled. He stopped the motions of his fingers completely. Alice’s eyes popped open.

“I-I’m sorry. I was desperate.” She pleaded. 

“Oh, my love, you have so much to learn about being good.” Loki chuckled. Without a pause, he landed three slaps onto her ass in a row. Alice cried out, the pain of Loki’s hand surprising her, yet also shooting pleasure up her body. “Are you going to be good now?”

“I don’t know. That felt good. I’m not sure if I want to be so good anymore.” Alice chuckled, which earned her three more slaps. Her back jolted forward and a rough moan escaped her lips. Loki rubbed his hand over the expanse of her red cheeks. Every so often he’d smack down on the skin again, reminding her that he was in charge. 

“Tell me what you want.” Loki demanded. He was feeding off this sexual power.

“You.” Alice whined. He smacked her ass once more.

“Be more specific.” Loki growled. 

“I want your cock in me.” Alice moaned. “Please, sir.”

“Beg.” Loki smacked her ass once more. Alice felt a flush a red embarrassment rise to her cheeks. She was already close from all the teasing Loki was doing. There was no chance she was going to last long.

“Please, sir. Please fuck me. Please fill me with your cock. Make me yours. Mark me up, fill me up. I need you in me, Loki. Please.” Alice cried out. “Please, my king.”

Loki’s chest ached at the name. He quickly settled himself behind her and thrust himself in. Alice’s back bowed as she rested herself on her elbows. Loki thrusted quickly. Alice’s first orgasm washed over her as quickly as she predicted.

“Already? That just won’t do.” Loki reprimanded her. “You’ll only cum when I say you can. Understood?” Loki asked as he quickly thrusted in and out of her. Alice nodded, causing her hair to fall into her eyes.

“Yes, sir.” She responded quickly. Loki reached forward and pulled Alice’s hair back into a makeshift ponytail in his hand. He pulled her hair, earning a loud moan from his lover. He snapped his hips rapidly, as if stopping his movements might kill him. He grunted against her, too overcome by his pleasure to care about anything else.

“So good for me.” Loki panted. Sweat was building on his skin as he fucked her. He gave her everything he had. Every thrust was a sacrifice of passion and lust and love. He wanted her to feel better than she ever had before. 

“P-please, Loki. Sir, please fuck me.” Alice cried out, her head thrown back by Loki’s grasp. Loki groaned, adjusting his angle so he could fuck deeper into her. He was carnal, animalistic in this moment. He would suck every ounce of pleasure out that he could. He didn’t only want it, he needed it. 

“So tight for me. Even after all the times I’ve fucked you, you’re still so tight. So good for me. Show me how good you are.” Loki encouraged her. Alice snapped her own hips back in earnest, trying to prove to Loki that she could handle anything he threw at her. 

“Sir, I’m close.” She panted out. Loki pulled her hair harder.

“You cum when I say you can.” He growled. Suddenly, his hand collided with her ass again. Her cheeks were already red, but this one was harsh. He could see the image of his hand imprinted onto her skin. Loki moaned, he needed to see more of that. He hit his hand down harder, causing Alice to throw her head back and scream out. It hurt so badly, but it felt so good. She needed this. She needed all of him.

“Please sir. Please let me cum.” Alice was practically shaking. The spanking sent her over the edge and she needed her release. Loki pulled her hair tighter and thrusted into her with complete vigor. 

“Go ahead, cum. Cum all over me.” Loki purred. It was all Alice needed to fall over the edge and let her orgasm tear through her. She cried out Loki’s name and slumped against the bed. “What do you say?”

“Thank you, sir.” Alice smiled against the sheets. Loki chuckled and pulled her hair again. It was then Alice noticed that Loki was still hard inside of her. He never even came to his release.

“I’m not quite done with you yet.” Loki smirked and began thrusting again. Alice was sensitive and she knew she wouldn’t last long. She felt every movement inside of her and it sent spikes of ice shooting through her veins. 

Loki tugged at Alice’s hair once more and pulled her up so her back was pressed against his chest. He wound one arm around her chest to fondle at her breasts. The other hand ran down her stomach to play with her clit. 

“F-fuck. L-Loki!” Alice moaned. Her head rolled back to rest on Loki’s shoulder. Loki turned his head to start sucking love bites into her neck. He wanted everyone to know she was his and only his. His fingers worked faster against her clit while his other fingers teased her nipple between them.

“Do you like that?” Loki mumbled against her neck. Alice nodded as best she could. He moved his hand from her nipple and slid it up her chest to cup it around her neck lightly. He squeezed, but never added any harsh pressure.

“Yes, sir.” She moaned. Loki snapped his hips upwards like his life depended on it.

“Say my name.” Loki demanded. Alice whined and called out for him.

“Loki.” She gasped. He thrusted into her harder.

“Again.” He grunted, clearly nearing his release.

“Loki!” She panted as he worked into her. She was so close.

“Say it!” Loki yelled, his fingers tightening around the column of her neck. Alice moaned out a scream and grabbed back at Loki’s hair. She tugged it as she held onto the edge.

“LOKI! Loki, please!” She cried out. Loki groaned and sucked another mark into her stretched out neck, right under her ear.

“I want you to cum for me. You’ve been so good. Cum for me.” Loki purred against her as his hips relentlessly snapped into her. His fingers were circling her clit like it was their only purpose. Alice moaned with vigor, her body falling apart in his arms. 

“Loki!” She yelled as she came over him. Her walls tightened around his cock, causing Loki to spill into her. He leaked into her body and out of her, coating her thighs with his cum. Alice went limp in his arms, sensitive and worn out from the way he fucked her.

But, still, he wasn’t done. 

Carefully, Loki pulled out of her and rested her back on the bed. He slid down her body and aligned his face with her center once more. He took a deep breath in, inhaling her scent, and his lips curled up into a smile.

“Let me reward you for being so good.” Loki winked before going down on her again. He drank up all of her juices, tasting himself in the mix. Alice grabbed at his hair, feeling another orgasm chase her quicker than she wanted. Her shaking body was so sensitive that she was sure anything could get her there.

Loki moaned against her core as his tongue worked wonders over her. Silver-tongue, of course. Alice mentally giggled. She felt Loki’s tongue dip inside her and before she knew it, her orgasm washed over her like the waves of an ocean. Her vision went fuzzy for a moment, and when everything focused again, she was laying in Loki’s arms.

“Was I good?” Alice asked sleepily. 

“The best.” Loki assured her, running his fingers through her tangled hair. He felt her trembling in his arms as he held her. He ran his fingers up and down her arms, trying to soothe her. He knew he pushed her to her limits, but he was so proud of her for being able to take it. “I love you so much.”

“I love you, Loki. Always.” Alice hummed. Her body was beginning to relax against his touch. He continued to hold her and pepper small kisses wherever he could reach.

“Darling, I think its best if we shower and start getting ready.” He knew she would resist his request, but time was ticking and they needed to start preparing to leave. 

“I figured you’d say that.” Alice sighed against his chest. She tilted her head up, silently asking Loki to kiss her. Of course, he would always take up the opportunity. So, he kissed her. He kissed her as if it was the end of everything. 

Loki easily swooped her up into his arms and carried her into the shower. He tended to her sore skin, which was covered in bruises. He scrubbed her scalp that burned from how he pulled at her hair. He cleaned between her thighs, still sticky and warm. Then, he took her again against the shower wall. This time, slower, hopeful for more time. Their lips were interlocked the entire time he pushed into her body. Their skin was pressed against each other’s. Every moan was delivered against the other, and they held each other tightly in the steam of the shower. Her nails scratched down his back, then trailed up to wrap around his neck, letting his wet hair fall over her arms. His hands wrapped neatly under her ass, holding her against the wall, slightly above the ground for the best angle. He would never let her slip. He would never let her go. 

They both hit their high together, skin wet and lips slick. They pulled apart to look into each other’s eyes. Whispers of love and promises floated between them. It seemed like only yesterday they were standing in the forest, disguised as Asgard, when Loki told her that he loved her. They had come so far in such a short amount of time. So much time had built up between them. Alice’s escape of the forest, finding the cells, meeting Loki, falling for Loki, rescuing him, falling even deeper. It would never end. 

When they were finished, Loki washed her all over again. He ran his soapy hands over every inch of her, gently massaging her skin. He apologized for dirtying her once more, but he truly wasn’t remorseful. Alice knew it. She didn’t care. She loved him. 

When their final hours passed, Loki took Alice up to the jets. Her suit was glistening in the setting sun, as was his battle armor. They looked fierce and unstoppable. If only Alice felt that way, too.

She felt Loki’s hand fold into hers as they stared at the jet. Everyone was there. Everyone was looking at Alice as if they knew exactly what she was thinking. Or maybe they were looking at the hickeys on her neck. Loki swore he would enchant them so no one could see them, but Alice was doubting it now. 

Heavy footsteps behind her indicated that Thor was coming. When Alice turned, it was true. There stood Loki’s brother with a half-assed smile on his face. He was wearing his Asgardian armor like Loki. Together, the brothers looked like the most powerful beings in the universe. Alice was positive they most definitely were. 

“Are you going to tell me everything is going to be okay when it isn’t?” Alice smirked. Thor bellowed out a laugh and pressed a hand against the girl’s shoulder. Loki’s arm tightened around Alice’s waist. 

“Isn’t that my job?” Thor smiled, softer now. He turned on his heel and walked towards Clint and Natasha, probably to discuss something official. Alice glanced over Thor’s moving shoulder to see Peter walking with Tony. His Spiderman suit was on, aside from his mask. It made him look older, but his face still showed the innocence of a child.

“We will protect you.” Loki whispered to her. Alice looked up at Loki. She nodded, clearly doubtful. “I will protect you.”

“Remember what you promised me? Kill me if they get me.” Alice said softly. She didn’t need anyone else to hear. Loki’s face turned grim.

“How could I forget?” He asked her sarcastically. He hated this promise. Alice bit her lip and nodded. Loki placed a finger under her chin, making her look up at him as he so often did. “It will not come to that.”

“And if it does?” Alice asked. Her fingers gripped at the leather of Loki’s chest. He leaned forward and pressed his forehead to hers. Every part of him willed him to not say his next words, but he had made a promise to Alice. He wouldn’t let her down.

“Then you have my word.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the team has officially left! What do you think will happen to everyone? Will Loki follow through on his promise if it comes to that point?


	26. Disguises and Danger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The mission is finally here! This chapter quite interesting to write, so I hope you guys enjoy it! Comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated, and again, thank you all so much for reading. Enjoy!!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 3835

The jet was quiet as it raced through the sky. The heroes were sitting silently among each other. They knew the gravity of this mission. It seemed to halt all conversation.

Alice was sitting next to Loki. Her head was resting on his shoulder and her hand was tangled within his hand. At this moment, she was just trying to focus on his hand in hers. She was about to face a very similar team to the one she was raised in. It very well could have been her own. She was going to fight an army of children that were just like her. She might even be captured.

Loki promised he would stay with her. He promised that he would protect her. And if he couldn’t do that, then he promised to kill her. Her death would be more welcomed than a life within the Organization from Alice. Loki couldn’t imagine handling the thought of either.

The jet shook as Tony stood from his seat. He grabbed onto a strap hanging from the ceiling as he looked at everyone in the jet. Everyone’s eyes were trained on him for some sort of guidance.

“This facility is giant, so I think it’s best if we pair off into groups of two that complement each other.” He suggested. His arc reactor glowed brightly on his chest as he guided the team. Tony held out a device and began to read off of it. “Wanda and Bruce, because if he goes green you can influence him to calm down. Clint and Nat, because you would kill me if you weren’t together. Thor and Loki…”

Tony looked up to glance at the brothers. Alice’s lips parted. She was positive that she would get to stay with Loki. How could he protect her if they were on different teams?

“Thor and Loki, because Thor can keep him in check.” Tony finished, his eyes never leaving Loki. Loki sat there with anger in his eyes. The hand that wasn’t grasping Alice’s was balled into a tight fist.

“Alice is with us.” Loki demanded. His hand tightened around hers. Tony shrugged and shook his head.

“Nope, I put her with someone else. You’re with your big brother.” Tony said casually.

“Put her with us. Put both of them with us!” Loki snapped. Alice was shaking next to him. 

“No can do. The building is too big to be combining teams.” Tony looked back at his device as if to continue. Before he spoke, Loki stood from his seat, snapping the seat belts that were strapped around him.

“Bullshit, Stark. I was put on this team for the sole reason of protecting Alice. I refuse to leave her unguarded.” Loki yelled. Tony put his device in his pocket and crossed the jet to stand chest to chest with Loki.

“You said it yourself, ice pop. You’re on this team. My team. Which means you take orders from me. So sit down.” Tony spat. Loki’s fists clenched at his sides.

“Maybe one day you won’t be so petty as to put your team in danger because you don’t like the idea of love.” Loki growled. He sat with a huff and stared at the ground directly in front of him. He couldn’t protect her. She would get hurt again.

Tony turned around and walked back to the front of the jet. He sighed and pulled his device back out and read out a few more pairings.

“Alice and Peter.” Tony said cautiously. “Because his suit is the only one that can handle her elements as of now.” 

Alice looked across the jet to Peter. He was smiling sadly back at her. He mouthed a sweet ‘I’m sorry’ to her. Alice loved Peter, and she trusted him completely. She knew he would perform well in the mission. Peter was extremely strong and talented, but she would never ask him what she did of Loki. He was too young and innocent for that type of responsibility.

“Promise me you’ll be strong.” Loki whispered into her ear. His hand was wrapped so tightly in hers and his cold breath was bouncing off her temple. She wanted to cry. But through the incoming tears, she nodded.

She could promise nothing.

 

**

 

After landing a few miles outside the facility, everyone agreed to split up and approach the building from different sides. It would be the best way to go undetected. However, this meant even less protection Loki could give Alice.

As everyone began to break up into their small groups, Loki pulled Alice into a strong hug. Tears pricked at his eyes as he held her. Her arms were wound tightly around his neck. He rested his face in her hair. No one knew what Alice made Loki promise her, so no one knew the severity of their separation.

“I’m so sorry.” Loki whispered into her hair. He could feel her shaking against him and he knew she was crying too. Loki felt so helpless. He promised he would protect her and he couldn’t. “I love you. I love you more than anything.”

“Don’t let me go.” Alice cried into him. “I love you.”

They knew this could very well be their goodbye. They knew what might happen. But in this moment, wrapped in each other’s arms, it was just them. There was no danger. There was no army. There was only love.

“I got you something.” Loki pulled back to look at her. “Here.” Loki smiled. In his hand was a small pin. Two snakes were intertwined with emerald eyes. It was smaller than a quarter, but was more valuable than a cave full of gold.

“Loki, it’s beautiful.” Alice gave him a watery smile. He pushed her hair aside, moved the jacket of her uniform, then pushed aside the shirt under her uniform. He carefully hooked the pin onto her bra so it would be hidden from sight. When the cool gold touched her skin, the eyes began to glow green.

“I’ve had it since I was a child. I want you to have it, my rose.” Loki said softly. Alice ran her fingers over the gold serpents.

“Thank you.” She said under her breath. She looked up into Loki’s eyes to see them filled with remorse and despair.

“Wear this to remember me.” Loki whispered. 

“How could I ever forget you?” Alice let out a soft laugh. Loki’s heart swelled three times its size in his chest. He leaned down and kissed her. Loki kissed her like it was the first time. He wanted her to remember everything they went through to get here. She would never forget it. When they pulled apart, Loki heard Thor calling his name. He knew it was time to leave. He ran his fingers down Alice’s cheeks to catch her tears. 

“I’ll see you soon.” Loki whispered to her. He pulled back and pressed a gentle kiss to the back of her hand like he did every night. “I love you.”

Before he could start crying again, he turned away and walked to his brother. He couldn’t stand this thought of feeling weak. His sadness was draining from him in exchange for anger. He was angry, and he needed to release this fury on someone. If he couldn’t protect her, he would kill anyone who tried to hurt her. He would destroy anyone that presented any form of danger to his love.

Anyone.

 

**

 

“I’m sorry that you got stuck with me.”

The pair had been walking silently through the woods for quite some time. Alice never let her eyes leave the wooded ground below them. It vaguely reminded her of the woods that Loki took her to only a few weeks ago to profess his love for her. 

Alice turned her head to look at Peter walking next to her. His mask was dangling from his hand as they walked through the wooded area. She could see the remorse all over his face. He wasn’t only upset, he felt guilty. She offered him a kind smile.

“None of this is your fault, Peter.” Alice said to him with as much enthusiasm as possible. Peter looked at the ground, his youthful face shaped into the sight of regret.

“You should have been paired with Loki. Mr. Stark was wrong.” Peter looked away. His eyes widened as he realized what he had just said. “Don’t tell him I said that.”

“My lips are sealed.” Alice winked at her friend. A careful smile danced on the younger boy’s lips. He shuffled side to side as he walked, his lean figure like a shaking branch in the wind.

“Still, I’m sorry.” Peter rubbed the back of his neck. Alice stopped walking and forced Peter to look at her. 

“I’m not upset at you, Peter. I am honored to fight by your side.” Alice smiled. “Loki made me a promise for this mission and without him with me, he cannot fulfill it. I’m just a bit nervous.”

“Well, what did he promise you? I’m sure I can help fill in!” Peter said excitedly. That’s when Alice saw it. She saw hope in his eyes. She saw joy and excitement. She saw a future for him that made sense. Wife, maybe a husband, who knows? Kids, he would definitely want a little girl. A home. He could live like that. He wasn’t tainted. He never killed anybody. He simply stopped them from doing harm. She wouldn’t be the one to change that.

“He just promised to protect me.” She looked down as she whispered the words. She wasn’t lying, but she wasn’t telling the whole truth. She didn’t want this young man to know that she had asked Loki to kill her if she was captured. 

“I can do that for you. I can try, at least.” Peter squeezed his hand against her shoulder. Alice was so overwhelmed with everything that was going on, she let everything spill. Her eyes began to well with tears as she choked out nervous sobs. Peter immediately came forward and pulled her into his arms. He rubbed her back as he tried to calm her down. They stood there like that for a few minutes, friend embracing friend. 

“I hope you can.” 

 

**

 

“Brother, time to conceal us.” Thor spoke softly. Loki turned his head to look at his brother. Thick blonde hair, strong muscles, handsome face. He was everything a hero should be. Loki, on the other hand, he decided that he fit the description of a villain too easily. 

He had decided long ago he didn’t want to be one. Alice had inspired him to be that way. After what felt like decades sitting alone in that cell, Loki had grown angry. Angry at Odin. Angry at Thor. Angry at Tony. He wanted revenge. 

But then Alice came along. And she changed him. There was always love and softness inside of his soul but she allowed him to let it out. She showed him that the world wasn’t against him. She gave him an outlet. Alice listened to him and empathized with him. She showed it was okay to be angry and that there were ways to release that anger that wasn’t through violent methods.

When he realized how much she meant to him, he swore he would make her the happiest person in the nine realms. He swore he would take her hand and lead her through life with the greatest protection. And here he was, standing alone with Thor, looking at the place that caused his lover so much fear with no way of protecting her from it. 

Maybe he should have fought Stark harder. Maybe he should have disguised himself as Peter to be with her. Maybe he should have just run away with her. There were too many “maybe’s” and it unsettled Loki. He didn’t like being unsure, and this was the epitome of helplessness. 

“Sure thing.” Loki grumbled. He lifted his hand and let the disguise of guards wash over them. He turned them into the goons standing watch at the doors. “Ta-da.”

“Your magic continues to astound me, brother.” Thor smirked. From his disguise, it looked crooked and quite frankly, repulsive. Loki let out a breath and turned away from his brother.

“Let’s get this over with then.” The faster he killed all of these monsters, the faster he could return to Alice and see her safe. Before he had the chance to leave, Thor placed his hand on Loki’s shoulder.

“She will be safe. We will make sure of it.” Thor reassured Loki. He scoffed.

“And how can you be so sure? They’re not here. They should be. But Stark is too arrogant to think of her safety before his interests.” Loki spat. The anger spiked in him again. He needed to get in that building and let it out.

“I understand you. We will fight for her. We will see her to safety even if we cannot see her.” Thor grinned. For a quick moment, Loki could see the gleam of his brother’s smile behind the illusion. He nodded and began to walk towards the building. The guards snapped their attention to the disguised brothers.

“Sorry we’re late. Perimeter check was in order.” Loki said with an American accent. The two guards standing present nodded dumbly and let them through. 

Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.

 

**

 

Arriving at the base was both nothing and everything that Alice expected. The building was huge. It was completely white and surrounded by guards. It looked exactly like the training facility she was forced to be in.

“Are you okay?” Peter asked. He noticed the change in Alice’s behavior upon seeing the building. His mask was on now and Alice could just barely see herself in the reflection of his white eyes. She nodded.

“Just reminds me of where I grew up.” She mumbled. She reached behind her to pull her hair back. The eyes of Peter’s mask adjusted and she could practically feel his smirk radiate from under the cloth.

“That’s just a better reason to blow it up.” Peter said as he lifted up a fist. Alice laughed at his remark and pressed her first to his. She would never understand how he could be so happy all of the time. 

“Are you ready, then?” Alice asked as they stared at a few guards through the thick trees. Peter gave her a silent thumbs-up as he climbed up the nearest tree. When he was perched on a branch high up, he gave her a nod, indicating she was safe to proceed.

Alice conjured up a flame in her hand and sent it flying a few feet away from where the guards stood. It ignited the grass, earning the attention of the guards. They all rushed over to see the commotion. Alice waited silently, and then sent another ball of flames flying a bit further from the first. She saw the guards run again, and a few dispatched the sightings to someone inside. As the guards got further away, Peter swung onto the roof of the building and loomed over the door. When a new string of guards ran outside, Peter webbed the door open behind them. Alice quickly sprinted and managed to get inside the building unnoticed. Peter swung in behind her and locked the doors behind them.

“That was awesome!” Peter practically squealed. Alice rolled her eyes playfully and nodded her head towards the end of the hallway. She lifted her finger to her ear and pressed the small button on her earpiece. 

“We’re in.” Alice said as the two ventured down the hallway. “Updates?”

“We’re in.” She heard Wanda’s voice in her earpiece. 

“Just got in.” Clint said through the earpiece. 

Alice began making a mental note of everyone who was inside. Her heart raced every time she heard the incoming beep of a new message being transmitted to her. She hadn’t heard from Loki or Thor yet, and she was beginning to get worried. 

Alice felt extremely selfish in that moment. She was so concerned about herself that she had not even considered Loki or Thor’s wellbeing. Had she thought about anyone other than herself? Her heart began to pound. What if something was to happen to Loki? Thor? Anyone? She would never forgive herself.

“We’re here.” She heard Loki’s voice transmit through the earpiece. Alice visibly let out a breath of relief. Peter turned to her and she could practically feel the smile radiating from under his mask.

“Glad to hear we’re all in. Everybody start looking for the kids.” Tony said in her ear. The tiny radio in her ear went silent as they travelled through the hallways. Every now and then, Alice and Peter would see a guard ahead of them, but it was easy to distract them and cause them to move away.

“Is anybody else noticing that this place is oddly empty?” Natasha sent through the transmitter. Alice nodded, though she knew no one could see her besides Peter. This facility was becoming a little too easy to navigate through without encountering many guards.

“Has anyone checked below ground, perhaps?” Alice said into her earpiece. “That’s where they hid us.” She spoke the last words hesitantly. She didn’t want to remember everything she went through but it was crucial information right now. 

“Brilliant idea, my love.” She heard Loki say. A blush crept onto her cheeks. Even from so far away, he could affect her so easily. 

“Thank you.” She giggled.

“Perhaps when we’re done here, I can take you again in the shower. That was quite exciting. I greatly enjoyed the way you squirmed against the wall when I filled you up.” Loki was purring. Alice’s eyes popped out of her head practically at his words.

“Loki!” She yelled in a hushed voice. She could hear him chuckling through the other end of the radio.

“Worry not, my love. No one can hear us but each other right now.” She could tell Loki was smirking that stupidly beautiful smile. He was probably eyeing Thor out of the corner of his eye, making sure the blonde wasn’t looking. Alice could visualize it all perfectly. Loki paused, she heard him take in a breath and let it out slowly. “How are you holding up?”

“We’re okay over here. Are you and Thor well?” She asked him. He could sense the nervousness in her tone. 

“Particularly delightful.” Loki chuckled. “I miss you, my darling. I promise that the minute this is over, you will be in my arms once more.”

“I can’t wait.” Alice whispered. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. We must part ways now, I’m afraid. But I will see you soon.” Loki said back to her. She could hear the sadness in his trembling voice.

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

The radio went silent, and suddenly she heard the rest of the team quietly conversing. Alice already missed the sound of Loki’s voice in her ear. It was comforting, as if he was right next to her. As Alice and Peter rounded another corner, they found an odd-looking series of corridors. They exchanged a look before Alice spoke into her earpiece.

“Peter and I found something interesting up here. You guys go on down. We’ll patrol up here.” Alice said firmly. The rest of the team gave them the okay. With a sharp intake of air, Alice and Peter began to trail down the hall. 

It was quiet. Almost too quiet. The lights were getting dimmer and dimmer. Every hallway had a fork at the end, branching off into newer, darker hallways. For some reason, Alice felt a tug in her chest, almost as if she knew where to go. If it wasn’t for the flat ground, Alice was sure they were going underground.

“This looks like something straight out of a horror film.” Peter gulped. 

“You’ve got that right.” Alice scoffed. When they reached a new fork, something in her head was telling her to veer to the right. “I think we should go right.”

“What makes you say that?” Peter asked her, his hand resting on the wall. Alice shrugged and willed herself to move forward.

“I just have a feeling.”

As they trailed further down, Alice seemed to know where exactly she wanted to go. Her mind kept whispering which way she needed to go. Peter simply followed behind her, checking her back to make sure no one was coming. As they reached the end of a new hallway, an explosion from below them shook the ground.

“What the hell?” Peter yelped. Another explosion rung out from underneath them. They exchanged a quick look and began to run. Every few steps, a new explosion shook the ground. Alice was sweating, this wasn’t going right. When they had reached the end of the hallway, there was only a single door with no lights on inside.

“We should go in.” Alice said quickly. Peter looked at her and shook his head.

“That’s not a good idea.” He explained to her. Alice shook her head.

“We need to.” She insisted. As if on cue, another explosion shook the ground beneath them. The two ran into the room and shut the door behind them, locking it quickly. They let out a relieved breath as they looked at each other in the dark.

But then, the lights turned on.

Alice and Peter both looked across the room to find a tall man standing at the other side. He was wearing a deep, navy blue suit. His head was covered in white hair, the same color as his mustache and beard. He sent them a sinister smile.

“Trespassing isn’t kind, children.” He spoke. Alice froze. Her eyes were wide and her breath became labored. This man sounded so familiar. When she squinted, he even looked familiar.

He looked just like…

“Who are you?” Peter snapped from behind his mask. The man sighed and let out a sick laugh. He unfolded his arms from behind his back to reveal a gun in his hand. Peter quickly thrusted his arm out to web the gun from the older man, but he was too slow.

The man lifted the gun and fired three shots at Peter. The young boy fell to the ground with a wailing scream. Alice covered her mouth and screamed as she fell next to him.

“No! No, no, no! Get up!” She yelled as she crouched over Peter. She placed her hands over his body where the bullets had landed. Alice snapped her head to look at the old man. “You’ll die for that.” She growled.

“Oh, Alice. Sweetheart, it’s so good to see you again.” He grinned. Alice rose up slowly from beside Peter. “Welcome home.” 

The man held up a strange device and pressed a button on its side. The man’s sinister words and a shrill ringing in her ears were the last things she heard before everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, shit. We're left with a lot of questions. What were those explosions? Where is everybody? What happened to Thor and Loki? Will Peter be okay? Who is that man in the suit? What happened to Alice?
> 
> So many questions!!!
> 
> Let me know what you think is going to happen ;)


	27. Lost and Lonely

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So shit went down last chapter. Time to see what happened on the other end of the mission! Thank you all for reading!! Comments and kudos are loved and appreciated, enjoy!!
> 
>  
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 3909

For Thor and Loki, everything had been going well. The facility was easy to navigate and the guards were easily avoided. Killing them was a breeze for Loki. A quick flick of his wrist sent daggers flying into their throats, giving them a silent death. Despite the tension between Tony and Loki, the team had been collaborating well and working together better than before. 

When Loki first heard Alice’s voice through the transmitter, his heart swelled. Even Thor sent Loki a wolfish grin through his disguise. The fact that she was safely inside let his mind rest easily as he wandered the hallways with Thor. 

But then, he heard her voice falter. When she suggested that everyone move to the basement because that’s where she was once hidden, he heard her voice shake. He could practically feel the tears prick at her eyes. Of course he would know that, he knew her like the back of his hand. It was why he used some seidr to keep their next conversation private. Loki knew he could calm her down, and he could tell that it worked.

Everything had been going well. Then, the explosions started. Thor and Loki were blasted to either side of the hallway they were in and smashed against the cinderblock walls. With a groan, they had crawled themselves back up, only to be blasted again. The explosions would never truly hurt their durable bodies but it was enough to shake up their brains and set them off. 

“Maybe it’s best we move on.” Loki groaned as he held his head. Thor nodded in a haze, moving along the wall. It was another few minutes before the next explosion, but it was enough time for the brothers to get their heads back on straight.

They moved quicker down the hall to where it began to open up. Their footsteps were faster, and before they knew it, another explosion was set off behind them. Loki growled as they started to run.

“This is madness!” Loki shouted as his feet carried his illusioned form down the hallway.

“What’s wrong, brother? Afraid of a little chaos? That’s quite unlike you!” Thor laughed.

“I love chaos, brother, but only when I’m the one causing it.” Loki growled as they felt another explosion push against their backs.

“Is there nothing you can do to stop this?” Thor shouted as he stumbled over his feet. Loki shook his head. 

“If there was, don’t you think I would have done it by now?” Loki snapped back. His mind was racing faster than his feet. The explosions were becoming more and more frequent. Loki was beginning to wonder what was happening to the rest of the team. Were they running into these explosions? Where were they? Was everyone okay? Was Alice okay?

Oh gods. Alice was probably terrified. He could just picture her frozen in a corner, staring at Peter with those wide eyes and parted lips. Loki knew she was brave and strong, but in this situation, he could feel her fear. He knew she was nervous, hands shaking and lips trembling while sweat beaded on her forehead.

He wanted to hold her. He wanted to kiss the top of her head and tell her that she would be okay. He wanted to press his lips to hers and make her feel safe. Loki was bitter, extremely bitter, in regards to Tony’s decision-making. But, he would get through this and see her to safety once more.

As the two brothers reached the end of the hall, there was only one way to go. The explosions were getting closer to them from behind, and they needed to round the corner. When they turned through the hall, they were met with around fifty guards holding up heavy-duty war shields in front of them. Loki slouched backwards and relaxed into his disguise.

“Men. Stand down.” Loki held up his large, fat hands that his disguise held. His eyes swept across the lines of men. The shields were too thick for him to pierce with his slick daggers. The guards were not relenting. They stood their ground and held their shields out.

“Stand down.” Thor repeated his brother. One of the guards moved his shield aside and took a single step forward. 

“We’re sorry, sir. You shouldn’t be down here.” The man spoke. His voice was slippery and it disgusted Loki. 

“We’re just passing through.” Loki said. The man shook his head and crossed his arms behind his back.

“Passing through the trapping system?” The guard questioned with a smirk. Loki sent a grin back to the ugly man.

“Testing everything. Similar to how you’re testing my patience.” Loki growled. The man took a few more steps forward. He was short and chubby. His face was red and wrinkled, simply begging to be punched.

“I think it would be best you leave. We have a job to do.” The man spat. Loki rolled his eyes and shook his head.

“Sir, let us through. We’re testing the systems.” Thor said firmly. The man continued to stand firm.

“Leave us soldier. Now. Or else.” The man growled. Loki took a step forward but Thor placed a hand on his chest. They had to stay calm.

“Are you threatening us?” Loki hissed. The man smirked and nodded.

The guard opened his mouth to say something, but then paused. He looked off into the distance as a grin stretched across his fat face. With a loud chuckle, the man waved his hand and the guards behind him lowered their shields.

“Very well. Continue with your work gentleman. Stand down, boys!” The man shouted from behind him. He turned on his heel and began to walk away. Loki huffed and sent a dagger flying into the back of the man’s throat. With a wave of his hand, he sent daggers flying into the backs of every other guard, killing them easily.

“That was weird.” Thor grumbled. Loki nodded and looked towards his brother. He looked so odd being transformed into one of these ugly guards. 

“Hey, guys. Did anyone happen to notice all the guards leaving the building?” Loki heard Tony speak into the earpiece. 

“They’re all just leaving.” They heard Wanda say with confusion.

“Has anyone found the kids?” Steve asked. 

“Negative.” Natasha answered. 

“Nothing here.” Loki spoke, looking into Thor’s eyes. With a huff, he waved his hand and allowed them to return to their normal forms. It was much more comforting to see his brother’s natural face than an ugly guard’s. 

“We found nothing.” Bucky responded. Thor looked around them, realizing they were in the middle of nowhere underground. What was going on?

“Mr. Stark?” Loki heard a weak voice whisper through the transmitter. “Mr. Stark? Someone? Please help me.” 

Peter.

Loki and Thor stared at each other with wide eyes. They immediately began running back from where they came. They didn’t care about explosions. They didn’t care about guards. They cared about Peter and whatever happened to him.

But if something happened to Peter…what had happened to Alice?

“Peter! Where are you?” Tony yelled through the transmitter. Loki’s heart was racing as they re-entered the ground floor.

“I…I don’t know. I’m in a room. It’s at the end of a hallway in the north wing. Please hurry.” Loki could hear Peter starting to cry. His heart broke for the younger boy. He needed to help him. He didn’t deserve this pain.

Thor and Loki ran whichever way they could go to get to the north wing. They seemed to be running for hours before they reached a long series of twisting hallways.

“Heimdall, guide us to the boy.” Loki heard Thor whisper under his breath. Loki turned his eyes up towards the ceiling as if he was looking through the roof towards the sky. He swallowed his pride and took a breath. A year ago, he would’ve never asked anyone from Asgard for help anymore. But now, he needed it more than he needed oxygen.

“We need you, Heimdall. Please. I need you.” Loki whispered up to the sky. “Help us save him.” 

“Left.” Loki heard a deep voice boom in his ear. Thor must have heard it too because he immediately veered left with a loud laugh.

“Heimdall!” Thor cheered. “Thank you!” 

“Thank you.” Loki said more calmly, relief washing over him more so than he would ever admit. 

“Anything to serve the Princes of Asgard.” Heimdall said in their ears. Loki smiled softly. Princes. Plural. At least Heimdall still accepted him. 

They followed Heimdall’s directions through the maze of hallways. Loki had sent a trail of glowing gold light behind them so the others could follow, but it would only be visible to their eyes. 

“You have arrived, my princes. Prosper on.” Heimdall’s voice faded in their ears as the brothers reached the end of the hallway. Thor broke the locked door down and they ran inside. 

Peter was laying on the ground, his mask was pulled off and his breathing was heavy. Loki crouched beside the boy and placed his shaking hands on Peter’s torso. There were three bullet wounds on his body, one in his shoulder, one in his torso, and one in his thigh. His suit was stained with the deep crimson color of blood. Loki looked up to look into Peter’s eyes. They were wet with tears as he cried out in pain. 

“What happened?” Loki said softly. Peter’s eyes twisted shut as another spike of pain shot up his thigh. Loki conjured up wrapping fabric and began to wrap his wounds. 

Before Peter spoke, the other members from the team ran into the room. Tony kneel next to Peter and took his head in his hands.

“What happened?” Tony gasped. Loki looked up at Tony. His helmet was off and laying on the floor beside him. Peter turned his head to look at them. His breathing was labored and he could barely speak without groaning in pain. Tony snapped his head to look at Loki. “Can’t you heal him?”

“I can only close the wounds. The bullets are still in him. It will only make it worse.” Loki said as he watched the cloths he wrapped the wounds in begin to slowly stain red. “Peter, you need to tell us what happened.”

“Alice and I were walking down the halls. She told us she had a feeling on where to go. Then we felt some explosions and started panicking. We found this door and ran inside. There was a guy in here and before I knew it, he shot me.” Peter began to cry again. Loki’s heart stopped.

“Peter, where are the man and Alice?” He said the words slowly. He could feel everyone coming to the same realization that he was coming to.

“He took her.” Peter said as the tears streamed down his cheeks. “He took her and I couldn’t protect her.”

Loki sat back on his heels. Everything came crashing down upon him. He heard voices but he couldn’t understand anything they said. He was positive someone had a hand on his shoulder but his body was so numb he could barely feel it. His head was spinning and he was sure he was about to throw up. 

She was gone.

“Loki. Loki.” He heard someone calling his name through the static ringing in his ears. He looked over to see Peter sobbing on the ground, his hand reaching out to Loki. “I’m sorry, Loki. I couldn’t protect her.”

Loki stood up and walked across the room. It was empty aside from a few tables and chairs. It was enough. Loki tightened his fists and sent the chairs and tables flying into the wall. They shattered against the brick at his rage. He heard Thor’s voice from behind him but he didn’t care. Nothing mattered aside from the fact that Alice was gone. 

He loved her. And she was gone. She was the first person to put her complete trust into him, and he had betrayed her. He let her slip through his fingers. Loki pressed his eyes shut and let the angry tears begin to slip from his eyes. It was the only thing he could do right now.

As Loki let the tears slip, he heard something ringing from behind him. He turned his head to see a light on the wall flashing red. Loki looked to Thor who stood there in shock of the alarm. Before anyone said anything, the building began to shake. 

“They’re destroying the building.” Tony said as his helmet went back on. “We need to get out.” 

Thor swung his hammer and sent it flying through the brick wall. It flew through another six walls before revealing the shade of the night outside. Loki ran across the room and picked Peter up as the floors began to shake violently. Dust from the ceiling was falling to the ground like heavy snow. They heard the sound of a collapsing roof in the distance.

“Run!” Steve yelled as everyone began running through the hole in the walls that Thor created. The ceiling behind them was collapsing closer and closer to them with every step. Loki held onto Peter as tightly as he could. If he couldn’t save Alice, then he would at least save the boy that tried to protect her.

When the ground finally got outside, the building was sinking into the ground below them. Loki turned and saw the building being swallowed into the Earth, leaving no evidence that it ever existed. He looked down at Peter who had passed out in his arms and bit his lip. 

“He’s going to die from loss of blood if we don’t operate on him soon.” Loki said to Tony who was already calling in a plane. “I don’t feel like losing more than one life tonight.”

Tony looked at Loki and saw limitless amount of pain in his eyes. He stared back down at the ground and the only thing he could think was ‘what have I done?’.

 

**

 

Loki was a mess. 

It had been three days since Alice had been captured. Loki couldn’t sleep, no one could. He couldn’t eat without throwing it back up. Heimdall was silent, despite Loki’s constant pleas. There was nothing he could do but sit and wait for some sort of location to pop up.

He spent his days wandering the tower aimlessly. Loki couldn’t stand being in Alice’s room without her there. Every time he would walk past that door, he felt the bile rising up his throat again. His head would spin and his chest would ache. 

As he would walk through the tower, he would remember the time that he and Alice had shared together. When he walked through the kitchens, he remembered how she taught him to finally make pancakes. He had smeared batter on her nose as she jabbed him in the ribs. He pulled her against her and kissed her as the smell of burnt pancakes wafted through the air.

He would stand outside, praying that Heimdall would show him the way to her. As his hands traced over the deck rails, he remembered how he had her sit on top of these exact railings. She was feeling especially worried about everything that day, so Loki wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered sweet nothings in her ear. He had her close her eyes and let the landscape around them turn into the view that Loki used to see from his balcony on Asgard. Alice was so fascinated by it that she almost fell over the railing. That night, Loki promised her that she would see that view in person one day.

Loki had even ventured down into the cells, ready to punish himself for letting Alice slip away. The golden glass from the cell was long gone, but his furniture still remained. He looked over his old desk, full of unfinished letters to Frigga. Another wave of guilt had hit Loki upon viewing them. He still wrote to her, but not as often. He was so wrapped up with work and Alice that he let the endless streams of letters fade away to only one or two a week. 

Loki was sure Frigga would understand. Loki wrote to her about every adventure and every moment he spent with Alice. She knew as much about the couple’s relationship as Loki did. Nevertheless, that worry was still sitting in his stomach at the thought of losing the trust of the only two women in his life.

In this moment, he was standing in one of the labs in Stark Tower. He was surrounded by people but he heard nothing they were saying. Alice filled his every thought. Her kind eyes, her smile, her warm skin. He couldn’t stop thinking about her and it made him sick. 

Loki had been feeling particularly guilty today. That morning, he had seen Peter sitting at the kitchen tables with Natasha and Bucky. His wounds were completely healed, but he was staying at the tower for a few days until his head was clear again. The kid was traumatized by what happened, and he couldn’t look at Loki without starting to cry.

Loki kept mulling over the events of what had happened three days prior. He wasn’t there to protect her. He wasn’t there to make sure nothing happened to her. He could have stopped the man; bullets would have done nothing to him. Alice would still be here if it wasn’t for Stark.

Stark.

That’s when Loki realized the truth. Stark was the real reason that Alice had been taken. If it wasn’t for Stark’s stubborn head, Loki would have been allowed to stay with her. Peter would never have gotten hurt. It was all his fault.

Loki turned to see Tony standing over a map of America, trying to pinpoint possibilities of where Alice could be. Thor was looking over articles and police reports all over the country. Loki’s nostrils flared with anger. He wasn’t to blame for Alice’s disappearance. He did everything he could to fight against Stark. And yet, here they were. Searching around a dead-end with no answers of where his long lost lover was. 

Without a second thought, Loki charged across the room and pushed Tony against the wall. When Tony was pinned against the wall, Loki let his wrath unleash upon him. He slammed his fists into Tony’s face, hitting every inch of skin he could touch. 

“You did this! This is your fault!” Loki screamed as he wrapped his hands around Tony’s throat. He held Tony up against the wall, his hands squeezing around his neck. He could care less if he killed him. He deserved it.

“Loki!” Thor yelled from behind him, attempting to pull his brother off of Tony. Loki refused to move. Tony was scratching at Loki’s hand around his throat as he dangled in the air. Tony could see the anger and sadness dancing in Loki’s furious eyes. “Drop him!”

“Give me one reason as to why I don’t snap his fucking neck right now!” Loki yelled, tightening his grip. Tony was beginning to struggle less, the lack of air making him weaker.

“We need him to get Alice back!” Thor tried to reason, but Loki didn’t care. 

“It’s been three fucking days, Thor! Do you see her here?” Loki snapped. His hand was tightening as Tony’s eyes began to flutter closed. 

Thor spoke again, quieter this time. “She wouldn’t want this.” 

Loki closed his eyes. He could feel the tears about to leak onto his cheeks. Gods aren’t supposed to cry. They aren’t supposed to be weak. But at this moment, Loki felt weaker than he ever had. He let his grip on Tony’s throat go, letting the man drop to the ground. He heard the man gasping for air. Loki knelt down beside him and held out his hand, letting his magic heal the bruises beginning to form on Tony’s throat and face.

“I’m sorry.” Loki whispered with his eyes still shut. He heard the rest of the team filing into the lab from the commotion they overheard.

“I don’t blame you.” Tony muttered, still catching his breath. Loki looked up at Tony and saw the man’s brown eyes filled with tears as well. “I’m sorry I kept you two apart.” 

Natasha looked around assessing the situation. Everyone was a mess. No one was getting any sleep and everyone was at their wits end. Loki was irrational. He would seem fine one moment and the next, he was destroying a dining room. Natasha took a deep breath and ran her hand down her face.

“We need to find her. We can’t keep living like this.” Natasha said firmly. Her arms were crossed and her eyes were tired. Loki knew the feeling. 

“But how? We have no idea where she is.” Clint asked. 

“We’ve been trying to find her for days.” Bruce sighed. Tony stayed quiet in the corner, too afraid to speak.

“Does her suit have a GPS tracker in it or anything?” Natasha turned to look at Tony. He sighed and stood, shaking his head with regret.

“No, I didn’t put it in. The electric circuits it required would have interrupted the power mechanisms in it.” Tony mumbled. 

“There has to be a way to track her down.” Clint reasoned. The team began throwing ideas around as Loki stood quietly off to the side. He shut his eyes as he thought about her, hoping to figure out how to find her. He thought back to how she looked on the night they were sent out on their mission. She was shaking in Loki’s arms when the jet landed. Her heart was racing and her lips were chapped from how much she had been biting them (a nervous habit Loki learned she had). The only time she looked peaceful that night was when Loki pushed her hair aside to attach his gift of a pin to her bra strap. The pin had meant so much to him, it only felt right for Alice to have it. 

The pin.

How could Loki not have thought of this before? The pin was from Frigga, gifted with magic. As everyone spoke over each other, Loki’s eyes snapped open. He blurted his next words out with eyebrows raised in realization.

“The pin.” Loki gasped. Everyone looked at him with confusion in their eyes. “The serpent pin!”

“What are you talking about, brother?” Thor asked. Loki looked at Thor with hope in his eyes, and Thor saw it too. He placed his hands on Loki’s shoulders and shook him. “What of this pin?”

“I gave her a pin. It was the pin mother gave me when I was young. It’s enchanted to see where someone is located.” Loki said quickly. 

“Your mom gave you a pin that could track you down?” Tony practically laughed. Loki smirked. 

“I was a troublesome child, so to speak.” He said with a wicked grin. “But, yes, she did. If the magic is still present, I may be able to find her.” 

Loki stepped away from his brother and walked to the corner of the room. He shut his eyes tightly and placed his hands out flat in front of him. He needed to concentrate.

He needed to find her. He needed to save her.

He would find her. He would save her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> She's been missing for three days, what happened to her? Will Loki be able to find her?


	28. Sending Guidance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Soooo bad news...there will be NO update this Saturday. I'm going away on vacation and I won't have access to a computer. I'm really sorry!! I promise that the next chapter will be worth the wait!
> 
> Thank you everyone for reading! This chapter is a really exciting one, so I hope you enjoy it! Kudos and comments are always loved and appreciated, and thank you again!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 3985

When Alice woke up, she was practically blinded by the amount of white in the room. The lights were too bright and the walls were too shiny. She groaned and tried to sit up before a small hand placed itself on her shoulder.

“Do not move, Miss Alice.” A kind voice said. She turned her head to see a woman in a nurse’s uniform standing over her. “I’m Melissa, I’m here to help you recover.”

“Where am I?” Alice asked. Her voice was hoarse and her mouth felt like there were balls of cotton in it from how dry it was. She was beginning to get dizzy as she laid back down. That was when she noticed she was lying in a hospital bed.

“You’re in Tony Stark’s emergency recovery center in California.” Melissa smiled, a little too sweetly. Alice narrowed her eyes as she looked around the room. The room was pretty plain. A gray countertop with a sink and some bottles. The walls were bare, not even a television was mounted on them. It looked too empty. Tony would never have such an understated room for his heroes to recover in. None of the stuff in here even looked like Tony would have owned it. She glanced down to see an IV in her arm.

“I didn’t know Tony had a recovery center in California.” Alice looked at Melissa, trying to hide the suspicion in her cracking voice. She gestured down to her arm with the IV in it. “What is this?”

“It’s just fluids. You were severely dehydrated.” Melissa hummed as she checked the IV. She looked like she belonged on the cover of Vogue. Her face was long and surrounded by curly red hair, the same shade as Natasha’s.

Natasha.

The team.

Loki.

“What happened to me? How did I end up here?” Alice asked. She sat up a little bit and looked down at her body. She was still wearing her black v-neck shirt that was under her suit along with the black leggings. Her feet were bare aside from a pair of black socks covering the skin. 

“A man tried to kidnap you from your mission. He knocked you out, but Mr. Stark found you. He brought you to safety.” Melissa smiled. None of this seemed right. Why would he keep Alice in California all alone? Surely, someone would have stayed with her. Thor? Bucky? Steve? Loki? Especially Loki.

“Where’s Tony now?” Alice asked with a tilt of her head. Her head was beginning to pound. Melissa’s smile faltered ever so slightly.

“He is with Mr. Rogers. They are working on something. That is all I know.” Melissa said as she stood up from the bed. She walked across the room and wrote something down in a notebook on the counter across the room. Alice went to sit up but her head became increasingly heavy.

“I want to see him.” Alice said. Her words were beginning to become slurred. Melissa turned around and smirked.

“That won’t be necessary.” She said before closing the door behind her. Alice held out a hand, as if to ask her to stay. Yet, when she looked at her wrist, she saw the bracelet that held her suit wasn’t there.

Tony would never remove her suit. He would never leave her side if she was hurt. Where was she? What had actually happened to her? Alice’s thoughts were cut off by everything around her fading to black.

 

**

 

When Alice woke back up, she was no longer in the white room. 

The walls around her were gray. There were no windows and everything had a musty feel to it. The bed she was on was not a hospital bed anymore. It was thin and extremely uncomfortable. The IV was no longer in her arm. She groaned and tried to turn over, but her body betrayed her. Instead, she sat upwards.

And there he was.

The man with the white hair that captured her.

“Welcome home.” He said sinisterly. Alice growled and scooted herself backwards. 

“Who are you?” She snapped at the old man. For a moment, he looked both offended and amused. He coughed out what sounded like a laugh and took a step forward. 

“I’ll admit, I’m a bit hurt you don’t recognize me!” He grinned. “Does Sullivan Carr sound familiar, my sweet Alice?”

Alice’s eyes widened. As she looked closer, she could see it. The deep wrinkles in his forehead. The silver tooth in the back of his smile. The shaking hands. The hard, gray eyes. Sullivan Carr. The headmaster at the Organization.

“How did you find me?” Alice croaked out. She was visibly trembling. She was terrified. She wanted to go home. She wanted to be with Loki. Where was Loki? What had happened to him? Did they hurt him? Did he notice she was missing?

Was he blaming himself?

“Sweet, Alice.” God she hated the way her name sounded coming from his lips. “We truly did think you were dead! But you surprised us! The last place we ever thought you would be was with the Avengers!” Sullivan let out a sickly laugh.

“How did you know?” Alice snapped. Her heart was racing a million miles an hour, she was sure would pass out any second. “Last time you saw me was when a building fell on top of me.”

“If you didn’t want to be found, why parade yourself around with the most watched heroes in history?” Sullivan leaned over the bed. “Your first little outing with them was all over the internet. Videos, pictures. Everyone asking who this new girl was. Low and behold, it was you! Now, I’ll admit, it took some time for us to narrow down where you were, but once we found you, we took advantage of that. I distinctly remember seeing a certain Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes leaning over you.”

Alice paused and thought back to the first time her mind went under attack. She had been training with Bucky when she lost control. Steve and Bucky helped coaxed her back to her senses. That was the night she told Loki about who she was. Alice felt tears pricking at her eyes. She needed her Loki. She needed him here to protect her.

“Every time I went on a mission, you attacked me.” Alice said, slowly processing everything. Sullivan coughed out another ugly laugh and clapped his hands together. 

“Bingo! I got to say, whoever was helping you get us out was doing a pretty good job! We could only flip that switch once you went back to Stark Tower, and damn, it only lasted a short time too.” Sullivan traced his hand over the railing of the bed. “But not good enough, because well. You’re here now, aren’t you?”

“Were you the ones kidnapping those children?” Alice asked. Sullivan gave her an ugly, toothy smile before nodding. He made her want to vomit.

“Glad you noticed! After our facility that housed you got destroyed, we decided to move out here. Take in some kids and rebuild. We made sure we were noticeable. America is Iron Man’s playground. Of course he’d want to step in.” Sullivan walked around the tiny room. “We knew you’d want to get involved because, well, this was you at one point. Once you stepped foot onto that property, we knew we had you. Didn’t you enjoy my voice in your ear telling you which hallways to turn down?”

“So it was all a set up to get me here?” Alice began to cry. She fell for the trap. She flew right into the spider’s web and there was no escape. “Where are the kids?”

“The kids were never kept in California. There were no kids in that building. It was all for you, sweetheart!” Sullivan clapped his hands together again. Alice wiped her tears as she shook her head in disgust.

“Why me?” She whispered. Sullivan walked up to her and placed a tough, sweaty hand against her cheek to force her to look at him. His hands were nothing like Loki’s soft, gentle caresses. She missed the feeling of his cold skin on hers. 

“You were our most successful soldier of all time. So obedient, so powerful. When we saw you were alive, well, we couldn’t just let that go.” Sullivan leaned down to look her in her watery eyes. “You’re home now.”

“Go to hell.” She yelled. Sullivan chuckled and turned around to pace the room. Alice quickly lit a flame in her hands to throw at him, but as the flame grew, so did an immense pain coursing through her veins. Alice fell to the ground and screamed at the top of her lungs, the pain not ceasing.

“Oh, yeah. I wouldn’t try to use your powers, not without my permission of course.” Sullivan turned around to look at the sobbing girl. “Melissa came up with a really good serum that would feel like fire in those veins if you tried to turn on us. Hell, it might even kill you if you tried!” 

Alice looked up, her hands shaking against the cold floor. The IV in her arm wasn’t fluids. It was whatever chemical was in her to cause this pain. Melissa was never working for Tony. Alice let out another cry as she faced the floor.

“You won’t get away with this. The Avengers will come for me.” Alice spat out. “They’ll kill you.”

“No, you’ll kill them.” Sullivan grinned and held up a small device. He pressed a button on it that sent Alice screaming. She writhed on the ground as she grabbed her head. All of her senses were being drowned out and she was losing all sense of control. She screamed, wishing that someone would hear her. Wishing that someone would help her. 

The pain felt like it lasted hours as she grabbed her head. Eventually, it began to subside. Alice felt like she was drowning in the darkest waters of the ocean. Her sobs ended as she calmed down, but she wasn’t fully there. Her mind felt like it was clouded and stuck under a pit of mud. Alice coughed and shook her head before blinking a few times to clear her vision. She looked up to see Sullivan standing over her. 

“Get up.” He commanded. Alice immediately stood up. 

“Master.” She nodded at him. “What is my mission?”

Sullivan smirked as got a closer look at the girl. Her eyes were hazy and glossy. There was no expression in her face. 

Once again, she was completely under his control.

 

**

 

Loki wasn’t able to concentrate in the lab. There were too many people and noises. The magic he was dealing with was ancient, cast over the pin roughly a thousand years ago. He needed complete silence to find her.

Loki went to the only place he knew he could feel at peace. 

Opening the door, Loki entered Alice’s room. He took in a deep breath and inhaled her scent. Fireplaces, forests, and roses. Especially roses.

Loki closed the door behind him and looked around the room. It was still messed up from their last day together. The sheets were tossed around the bed and the shower was still dripping in the other room. Loki brushed his hand across the bed, closing his eyes and relishing in the memory of her.

She had submitted herself completely to him. He remembered her back arched below him as she took all of him. Her skin was so warm against his. Loki could practically feel the locks of her hair wrapped around his fingers. He pictured the way her lips tasted as he pulled her back against his chest. They were sweet and soft. 

And her eyes, oh, her eyes. The green crystals that stared back at him with such love. No matter how he had her, she looked at him like he was the only being in the universe. Those eyes made him want to kneel before her and profess every secret he had. 

Loki opened his eyes, feeling the sharp chill of tears in them. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. He couldn’t get emotional, not now. He needed to find Alice and save her before something happened to her.

Loki walked through the room to the window. He waved his hand and let his armor turn into the robes he used to train in with his mother. He sat down in front of the window, kneeling with his head bowed. 

Loki wiped his eyes one last time and placed his hands out in front of him. They were shaking, trembling from the nerves and gravity of the situation. Loki took a deep breath. He needed to focus. He needed to concentrate. He needed to calm down.

The only way he could do that was to pretend Alice was next to him. He envisioned them sitting on his balcony back in Asgard. She would have her hands resting on his shoulders as she kneeled beside him. He could practically feel the gentle breeze pushing the strands of his hair backwards. Alice would smile, he knew it, she loved feeling the breeze on her face. Her lips would part, whispering about how beautiful Asgard was. And Loki would then turn to her, place a cold hand on her cheek and kiss her. He would kiss her under the sun until the moon came up. He would never let her leave his side.

The thought brought peace upon Loki as he shut his hands. He held his steadier hands out and bowed his head further. With a deep breath, he spoke.

“All-mother, grant me access to your magic. Guide my hands. Direct my being to the spell placed upon the golden serpents you handed me so long ago. Let me see her, let me feel her.” Loki whispered. His eyes were screwed shut. He could practically feel a pulling at his hands. His heart began to race, and then suddenly, everything stopped. Loki groaned, and repeated the incantation four times before slumping his shoulders. “This will never work.”

“It will only not work if you give up trying.”

Loki’s eyes shot open as his head shot up. He turned from his kneeling position on the floor to see a distant figure sitting on the bed.

A woman.

Frigga.

“Mother?” Loki whispered, standing up. There she sat, in all her regal glory. Her hands were folded on her lap as she smiled at her youngest son. She stood gracefully and wrapped her hands in front of her.

“My son.” Frigga smiled. Loki’s knees were shaking. He slowly crossed the room with unbelief in his eyes at what he was seeing. Frigga was here? How was this possible? He didn’t see the bifrost open up by the tower. 

“You’re not truly here.” Loki sighed, realization dampening his excitement. His hands fell to his sides and his eyes faced the floor. 

“Physically, no. But in every other sense, yes.” Frigga glided towards him and stood directly in front of Loki. Loki looked up into her eyes. They were sparkling.

“I’ve lost her, Mother. I couldn’t protect her.” Loki finally let the tears fall freely. He sobbed out, wishing that he could feel Frigga’s arms around him. Frigga sighed and pressed her lips together in a tight line. She had never seen her darkest son show so much emotion before.

“She’s changed you.” Frigga noted. She turned her body to look at the room. It certainly wasn’t Loki’s. It was too plain. She noticed to messed up sheets, and a knowing smile drew itself onto her flawless skin. She turned back to Loki who still had his face turned to the floor. “My son, look to me.”

Loki looked up at her. He missed her so much. It had been years since he last saw her face. The letters weren’t enough to calm his longing for her. He missed her motherly touch that always seemed to calm his nerves. He missed the way she would pull him into his side, as if he was a child, and stroke his hair through her fingers. She would hum to him until he calmed down, and then pulled out a new spell book with ancient writing for him to absorb. She was a rock for him, and he loved her dearly.

“Mother, I need to find her. She could be in danger and I must save her.” Loki fell to his knees. “I love her, but I’m not strong enough to find her.” Frigga kneeled down in front of Loki and offered him the kindest smile.

“Caring for the mortals of Midgard? I never thought I’d see the day.” Frigga chuckled as she folded her hands on the front of her dress. “My son, my Loki, you are stronger than any sorcerer I have ever met. You are stronger than me.”

“I don’t believe that. I can’t even access her whereabouts from the pin!” Loki growled. His hands balled into fists. He didn’t need lies at this time, he needed answers.

“You are trying too hard. Let her come to you. Feel her soul and let the magic guide you to her.” Frigga offered. She held out her hands. “Follow my lead.”

Loki held out his hands and looked to his mother. Her eyes were shut and her lips were curled into a smile. Loki sighed and let himself imitate her pose. He heard her mumbling words under her breath, and once she paused, he repeated them.

Loki felt a surge of energy in his palms. He opened his eyes to see a cloud of green glimmering over them. His breathing picked up as the green cloud turned into an image. It was the image of a dark gray building. It wasn’t unlike the building from before, but this one was larger. He could feel the evil radiating from the picture.

“Where is this?” He whispered. Frigga tilted her head as if to look closer into the picture. Suddenly, Loki felt her in his head. He could feel his heart pulling him towards the other side of the country. “I don’t know the name of where she is, but I…I can feel it. I can feel where to go. How is this possible?” Loki questioned. Somehow, someway, he knew exactly where to find Alice. He could see the building pinpointed onto a mental map.

“Anything is possible. Now go, my son. Find her. Bring her home.” Frigga smiled as she stood. Loki let the cloud in his hands disappear as he rose to meet her eyes.

“I have missed you so much, Mother.” Loki sighed. Frigga let out a golden laugh.

“You already know how deeply I’ve missed you.” Frigga let her smile fade slightly. “But now is not the time for sentiment. Go save your little mortal. I’d love to meet her.”

With that, Frigga faded away in a green, shimmering light. The room was empty again as Loki stood in the center. A gentle smile coursed its way onto his thin lips.

“Thank you.” He whispered into the air. 

 

**

 

“Do you think he’ll really be able to find her?” Bucky whispered under his breath to Thor. Everyone was rushing around the lab, trying to find a way to locate Alice. Everything was off without her there, and it didn’t help that her absence had sent Tony looking for answers at the bottom of a bottle. Thor shrugged and turned to look at Bucky.

“My brother is extremely talented in the mystic arts. I have no reason to doubt his skills.” Thor paused and let his eyes fall to floor. He looked back at Bucky and offered him a sly smile. “But if he is to fail, then I do know another man. A Midgardian that is also extremely talented in the use of mystic arts.” 

“Who?” Bucky lifted an eyebrow. Loki was the only person he knew who could use legitimate magic. Thor laughed and shook his head.

“He is a friend of mine. His residence is not too far from here.” Thor smirked. Bucky parted his lips but shut them. Thor would never give him a direct answer. 

“I hope she’s okay. I could only imagine what she’s going through.” Bucky closed his eyes and balled his hands into fists. “I can’t imagine being back in Hydra’s grips.”

“Are you so sure the people who took her are from the Organization?” Thor looked into Bucky’s eyes. The brunette nodded. He was too sure of it.

“Whoever took her had the option to either kill her or capture her. If it was someone planning on killing all of us, wouldn’t they just kill her? It’s something personal.” Bucky crossed his arms. “We need to kill them.” 

Thor grinned and nodded. His hand was already tightening around his hammer. Bucky began to say something, but was soon interrupted by the door to the lab sliding open. There stood Loki, out of breath, gripping the walls for support.

“Brother.” Thor said as he stood. He crossed the room and placed his hands on Loki’s shoulders. 

“I found her.” Loki whispered. Everyone stared at the dark-haired man. He looked at everyone and slowly walked into the room. “I cannot tell you where, but I can show you how to get there.”

“How is that possible?” Steve asked. Loki straightened his back and let out a tired laugh.

“Anything is possible.” He repeated Frigga’s words from earlier. Loki looked to his brother and took a deep breath. “Mother came to me. She helped me find her.”

Thor paused, shocked at what he heard. Suddenly, he threw his arms around Loki and embraced him tighter than ever before. Loki let his head fall onto Thor’s shoulder. If only Frigga had been able to hold him this way.

“Brother, you are brilliant.” Thor smiled as he pulled away. “How will we get to her?”

“Plane, we’ll need it.” Loki said as he crossed the room. He stood in the center of everyone. His robes had transformed back into his armor. He was ready to leave at a moment’s notice.

“Which direction?” Bucky asked. Loki paused for a second.

“South, then west.” Loki said, straining to hold the information in his mind. Bruce made quick work of recording everything. Everyone was on their toes. They needed to know everything Loki knew.

“Where is she?” Tony asked. Loki looked into his eyes. Alice had brought the two of them together, again. He would need to thank her for that later.

“She’s in a large facility. I felt extreme heat signatures from it, meaning there’s a lot of beings there.” Loki said.

“The Organization.” Bucky muttered. Loki nodded in his direction.

“Precisely, and it’s much more heavily guarded then before. They want us to go there.” Loki informed them. Everyone stayed quiet. No one was sure what to do.

“So, how do we get in if they know we’re coming?” Wanda asked. Loki paused. He looked everyone in the eyes. Desperation, anger, sadness. Trust. He knew what he would say would change their opinion of him forever.

“I have an idea of how to get inside, but you will all hate me for it.” Loki said slowly. He let his hands fall to his sides. Tony took a step forward and offered the god a gentle smile.

“Not anymore.” Tony reassured him. Loki sighed and shut his eyes. Hesitantly, he held his hand out in front of him. Mentally, he apologized to Alice. She would hate him for this. Yet, he would rather her be safe and hate him than be in danger and love him. 

Loki let his magic roll over him to place the answer in his palm. He heard everyone gasp around him, and he knew this just changed everything

There, in Loki’s hand, sat the tesseract.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW so a lot happened. Alice is back in the hands of the Organization, Loki saw his mother again after so long, and he somehow has the tesseract. How did that happen?
> 
> Again, I'm so sorry for not being able to update on Saturday, and thank you in advance for your patience :)


	29. Beaten and Battered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: brief mentions of sexual assault (Alice's breasts are touched without her consent).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND WE'RE BACK!! Thank you to everyone who waited for this update, I felt so bad about not updating on Saturday!! But, I'm here now with a very intense and lengthy chapter. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and remember, comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated. Thank you again and enjoy!
> 
> Also, real quick, I would just like to note that Sullivan Carr is a completely original character and not based on another character from the MCU or another movie franchise. 
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 6013

Everything was silent as Loki stood in the center of the room with the tesseract placed neatly in his hand. He awaited the first blow. A slap, a punch, a bullet, anything. He anticipated screaming, crying, furious vengeance. He waited for someone to snag the tesseract out of his open hand and slam closed those wretched chains around his wrists again. Back to the cell, he knew it would happen. At least he was providing them with a way to save Alice. 

But none of that happened. Instead, everyone was silent. Even the buzz of the pulsing electricity seemed to quiet down. Silence was the last thing he expected.

“How is this possible?” Thor was the first to speak. Loki opened his eyes and looked at his brother. Thor’s blue eyes were full of anger and resentment…but also wonder.

“Do you truly trust me to leave such a valuable object in Odin’s possession?” Loki asked bitterly, trying to put up a tough front to everyone. Thor took a step back, shaking his head with every inch he moved. 

“Okay, I lied. I do hate you.” Tony spat out, holding his bottle of water like a weapon. He rushed towards Loki, ready to beat the shit out of him, but Thor grabbed his arm before he could. 

“You gave your father a fake tesseract?” Steve lifted an eyebrow, thoroughly impressed that Thor’s supposedly almighty father didn’t notice Loki’s trick. 

“Yes, soldier, I did. The old fool never even noticed.” Loki smirked. Yes, he knew he did something terrible. He lied to everyone. He faked innocence when he had been carrying the tesseract around all this time. But, quite frankly, he was proud of himself. He had managed his greatest illusion of all time, hiding the tesseract in plain sight. But for some reason, it didn’t feel good. It felt sour, like there was a pit in his stomach rocking him back and forth. 

“How did he not notice?” Sam asked. His eyebrows were perked up so high that Loki was sure they’d get caught in his hair.

“Oh please, I can’t reveal all my tricks, now.” Loki chuckled. He looked over to Thor who stood there with tears in his blue eyes. 

“I trusted you.” Thor whispered. Loki let his prideful appearance fall. The words stung. All his life he had wanted Thor’s unquestioned trust. Finally, for the first time, he had felt that he had earned it. Yet, Loki knew that he could never obtain that dream. He knew he wasn’t to be trusted, but hearing the notion of Thor losing trust in him after succeeding to gain it hurt more than he imagined it would. 

“I think it’s a great idea.” Natasha said quietly from the corner. Loki looked at her and gave her a questioning look. Everyone copied his expression. It was still odd to hear her voice her confidence in Loki.

“I have to agree with Nat on this one, actually.” Steve said in agreement. Loki’s jaw practically fell to the floor. He must be imagining all of this.

“I beg your pardon?” Loki asked in disbelief. Natasha smirked and walked towards the center of the room and crossed her arms.

“I think this just shows we can trust him more.” Natasha tilted her head. Loki smirked, he knew exactly where she was headed with this.

“How so?” Tony asked. Thor looked between the redhead and his brother with complete confusion on his face.

“He had the tesseract all this time and never once used it against us. He was down in those cells for years and not once did he use it to get out.” Natasha stressed, pointing at the blue cube in Loki’s hand. “He only took it out to help us and to help Alice. What does that say about him?”

“She has a point.” Bruce stepped forward. “We know what he’s done with that cube before, and he hasn’t even tried any of it again.”

Loki looked at Tony who was still dumbfounded by what he was hearing. He was going to need much more than a bottle of water to get him through this. 

“This is ridiculous.” Tony grumbled. Loki seemed to notice the man’s desperation for alcohol, so he transformed the liquid in Tony’s plastic bottle into some vodka. Tony lifted an eyebrow at the transformation. “Thanks, frosty.”

“My pleasure.” Loki bowed slightly, his grip on the tesseract tightening. He didn’t let his eyes flicker away from it for more than a second. 

“I do not mean to impose, but I believe this cube may be used to our advantage, Mr. Stark.” Vision said from beside Wanda. Her arm tightened around him. 

“Why do you say that, Siri?” Tony smirked. Vision tilted his head but continued.

“This cube possesses the power of instant transportation. We could use that to deliver one of us into the facility without being caught. Extract Alice using the cube.” Vision said with a flick of his wrist. Loki turned to face the red man.

“Then, use the cube to transport us all in and attack.” Loki looked into everyone’s eyes. “We use one person to get her out, so no one suspects anything. Then, when we all go inside, they don’t have time to prepare. We just kill away.”

“Loki.” Thor gave him a dirty look. Loki chuckled and shook his head.

“Kill only those worth killing. Save the children, of course.” Loki smirked.

“This might actually work.” Tony rubbed a hand down his face. No wonder he was getting more and more gray hairs as the day went by. “Who would go into get her out?”

“I would, of course.” Loki gave Tony a harsh look. “Or would you prefer to separate us, once again?”

“Stand down, brother.” Thor pressed a hand to Loki’s chest. Loki looked at Thor, but his brother’s blue eyes were empty. Loki sighed and nodded.

“I can place an illusion over myself so I can’t be seen. It makes the most sense.” Loki reasoned. Everyone looked between each other and exchanged a nod. 

“I guess you’re right.” Tony sighed. 

“We should fly a few miles out of where the facility is. Keep ourselves close but at a distance.” Thor suggested. He let his hand fall from Loki’s chest as he walked across the room to lift his hammer from the ground. Loki let his eyes fall to the floor. 

“In case anything goes wrong, we can easily infiltrate.” Bucky nodded. Everyone hummed in agreement.

“When do we leave?” Steve asked eagerly. Loki let the cube disappear in his hand.

“Now.”

 

**

 

Being under Sullivan Carr’s control was sickening. Alice could feel herself being pulled under. She felt as if she was drowning in an ocean made of oil. It seeped into her lungs, making it hard to breathe. Every time she felt herself reaching the surface of the ocean, another wave rolled over her and pushed her down another ten feet.

She could still feel herself. She knew she was in her own body, but she could barely control it. It was like someone else was running her mind, which was quite true, but the odd thing was that she knew it was happening. She could open her mouth, but she couldn’t voice what she wanted. She could move her arms, but she could never extend her hand for something she wanted to do. Alice was a prisoner to herself.

It made her angry, so terribly angry. But that anger only helped her captors influence her mind. No matter how much she pushed past, they still had that grasp on her. Her anger heightened her powers, which made her captors quite happy. 

What was worse was that she wanted to hurt people. She wanted to murder anyone who tried to cross her path. The Organization leaked into her mind and made her want to be the villain. They wanted her to be angry. They wanted her crave the smell of charred skin and blood around her. She hated that they had won.

Her suit was nowhere to be found. She had hoped that maybe they would give her suit back to her with the knowledge of how advanced Tony Stark’s equipment is. Maybe they would want to use it to their own advantage. But, that wasn’t the case. They kept it far away from her, and she didn’t know where it could be.

Instead, she was dressed in a skin-tight pull over jacket with a zipper over her chest. It was a deathly gray, the color of Sullivan’s eyes, and it matched the skin-tight leggings they put in her in. Across her chest was Sullivan Carr’s emblem. They had branded her, making sure everyone knew she belonged to the Organization and no one else.

Alice was standing in a large, empty room. Sullivan Carr and four of his guards stood around her. Alice felt devoid of any and all emotion. She was exhausted. She wanted to be home, but she also wanted to be here. She hated it.

The lights in the room flickered as the walls shifted around her. The cement of the walls pushed aside and moved to reveal emblems of the Avengers. She could vaguely remember them. Her inner self tried to push through the oily water to remind her that they were her friends, but her controlled mind only saw them as threats.

“Now, Alice. It’s time to train for your mission.” Sullivan smiled. Alice wanted to scream to him to go to hell. She wanted to wrap her hands around his neck and refuse to do anything for him. Instead, she felt herself nod.

“What is my mission, sir?” She said in a voice that was barely hers. Sullivan pointed at the emblems on the walls.

“Your mission is to wipe out the Avengers. Every single one of them is our enemy.” Sullivan stepped closer to Alice. “And what is your main goal?”

“Protect the Organization.” Alice said, staring blankly ahead. Sullivan placed a hand on her shoulder and ran it down her arm.

“Such a good girl.” Sullivan smirked. He licked his lips and trailed his vision up her chest. “You’ve grown so well.” He lifted his hand and pulled the zipper down her jacket to reveal more of her chest. He ghosted a hand across her breasts and let out an ugly groan. “Oh, sweet Alice. You tempt me. How I wish I could touch that little body. I can’t distract you though. Maybe after we’re done here I can take you back to my quarters and see what you look like under that pretty little suit.”

Sullivan turned around and walked across the room. He cleared his throat and looked to the guards. He nodded at them, causing them to disperse to the sides of the room. The lights flickered again and a few targets fell from the ceiling. 

“Now, Phoenix, you will be trained to recognize your enemy. Targets with the Avengers’ faces will drop, and you will eliminate them. Targets with members of our team will drop, and you will leave them be. Got it?” Sullivan said loudly. Alice nodded once.

“Yes, sir.” She said in a monotone voice. Sullivan smirked and waved his hand. An alarm sounded and the targets began to move. Alice moved her eyes across the room and saw a target with Steve’s face on it. Despite her inner self screaming at her to stop, she flung a ball of fire directly at the target, forcing the image of Steve Rogers to explode.

A few more targets dropped. She eliminated Natasha, Wanda, and Tony easily. A few members of the Organization had their faces plastered onto targets, and against every will she held in her, she didn’t fire at them. Her body was moving for her, and she couldn’t do anything about it. 

Her chest was heaving as the flung balls of fire across the room. She could hear Sullivan laughing in the background as she shot an especially hot ball of flames at Thor. After a few more shots, a new target fell from the ceiling.

Loki.

Alice felt herself falter, and she knew she was winning the fight against the people in her mind. Upon seeing Loki’s face, Alice felt herself growing. She felt herself gaining more control over her body. Her arm went to throw a ball of flames, but she stopped it. She used every ounce of power in her to break through the surface that the Organization was keeping her under. With a few blinks of her eyes, her hands dropped and her eyes returned to normal. She was back in control.

“No.” Alice said, facing the ground. Sullivan gasped and shook his head.

“Your orders are to eliminate the enemy! He is the enemy!” Sullivan screamed. Alice shook her head and turned to Sullivan. His stormy gray eyes widened as he could see that Alice had regained control of her mind.

“No, Sullivan. You’re the enemy.” Alice growled as she ran towards Sullivan. He quickly ducked as she threw her first punch at him. She hit him directly in the jaw, causing the old man to fly backwards. She ran for him again and sent a kick into his chest. Sullivan groaned as Alice started using all her might to hit against him. The guards ran over to her and held her back. They wrapped their arms around her waist and chest. She flailed against them, trying to get out of their iron grip. Sullivan stood up, shook out his suit jacket and walked over to Alice. 

He smiled at her with sinister intent. He brushed his hands down the front of his trousers, rolled his shoulders, and sent a fist flying across Alice’s jaw. She heard a click come from her jaw as Sullivan laughed. Without any further hesitation, he jabbed her in the gut. She fell over in the guards’ arms as he punched at her. The guards dropped her weak body to the ground as they joined in on her punishment. They beat her until she was bleeding. 

“You are my soldier! Not Stark’s!” Sullivan screamed as he punched her ribcage. Alice screamed as she felt herself falling back under their control. The control she had over her mind was slipping away quicker and quicker with every second. Everything in her body screamed in pain as the five men kicked, punched, and scratched at her. 

Just as quickly as she broke through the initial mind control, she was back under. She was drowning in their ocean again, and her mind was theirs once more. Sullivan saw the light leave her eyes as she sickly glow returned. He sighed and sat back on his heels. Alice’s body was covered in dark, splotchy bruises and metallic scented blood. She was shaking on the ground as Sullivan examined her.

“My sweet Alice, when will you learn to not defy me? You know what happens.” Sullivan stood as he gestured to her beaten and battered body. Alice just laid on the ground with tears drying on her cheeks. He looked to one the guards and gave a curt nod. The guards stepped back as Sullivan pulled a device from his pocket.

“I am sorry, sir. I will not fail you again.” Alice croaked out. Sullivan nodded as he twirled the device around in his hands.

“No, you won’t fail me, anymore.” Sullivan looked over to the picture of Loki on the still-hanging target. He sighed and lifted the device. “Because you won’t remember any of this happened.”

He pressed a button on the device and sent Alice screaming. She held her head and rocked back and forth. It felt like she was being bitten by sharp fangs over and over again. Sullivan watched her writhe in pain, shaking his head in disgust. Without taking his eyes off of her, he barked an order to the guards to bring her back to her room. 

The guards walked over and picked up the screaming girl. Sullivan sighed as they carried her out of the room. He looked at the target of Loki, reached into his pocket, and pulled out his gun. He fired several shots into the target with a smirk.

With Loki’s face filled with several bullet holes, Sullivan placed his gun back in his pocket and left the room, still hearing Alice’s screams from down the hall.

 

**

 

The ride to the facility was silent. 

Loki sat against the wall, eyes shut tight, praying to Frigga that he would be successful. He couldn’t afford to lose again. He needed to save Alice. He needed to prove to everyone that he could succeed. He needed to prove it to himself.

He was shaking his leg against the vibrating floor of the jet. His palms were sweating against his leather uniform. He let his green eyes open as he took in the sight of everyone. They were anxious, he could feel it wash over him. Everyone was depending on him. 

Loki turned to his left to see Thor looking at the ground. Loki parted his lips to speak but he wasn’t quite sure what to say. He let his brother down, that much he knew. But he couldn’t even begin to think of what to ask him. Should he apologize? Should he ignore it? 

“There’s no need to speak, brother.” Thor mumbled. He ran his hands through his blonde hair and turned to Loki. His blue eyes were swimming with anger and sadness. 

“Thor, let me explain.” Loki whispered. Thor let out a disgusted laugh.

“Explain what? How you lied? How you fooled our father? How you swore to us that the tesseract played no interest in your mind anymore? Clearly it does.” Thor spat out. Loki gripped onto his own thighs. He was silent for a long while before he finally found the strength to speak.

“I’m sorry for deceiving you, brother. I just couldn’t trust this item in the hands of someone else.” Loki looked at Thor with honesty in his eyes. Thor stared back at him with his lips pressed into a tight line.

“Why?” Thor asked. Loki sighed and leaned forward on his thighs. It was complicated. He couldn’t tell Thor that he was hiding it from the all-powerful being that had abused him for so long. He couldn’t begin to explain that said all-powerful creature would be hunting him down for the tesseract. He couldn’t say that he was keeping the tesseract on himself so that way said all-powerful being would only have to kill him for it and not the entirety of Asgard. He was doing this to protect the people of Asgard. Thor would never believe that.

“I feel I am the only one capable of protecting this artifact.” Loki admitted. He was leaving out part of the truth, but he wasn’t lying. Thor looked down and nodded curtly.

“I will never understand you, Loki.” Thor sighed and leaned back in his seat. “Save her, bring her home. Then swear to me you will turn over the tesseract to Odin.”

“I swear.” Loki whispered. Thor looked at him and placed his large hand on his brother’s shoulder. He offered him a sad smile.

“Maybe one day I can trust you, completely.” Thor let his hand fall back into his lap. Loki nodded and brushed his dark hair behind his ear.

“That is all I can hope for.” Loki said with earnest. As he looked at his brother, he heard his name being called from the front of the jet. He looked up to see Steve leaning forward and looking out the front window of the plane.

“We’re at the safe house. Loki, it’s your time to shine.” Steve turned and gave Loki a nod. “Bring her back here when you’re ready.” 

“I will try, soldier.” Loki said as he stood up. He let the tesseract form in his palm.

“Be safe.” Natasha said from her seat next to Clint. Loki offered her a warm smile as he let the tesseract begin to glow brighter.

“Don’t screw her before you bring her back to us, okay?” Tony smirked, trying to ease the tension. Loki rolled his eyes.

“No promises, Stark.” Loki winked and let the blue light engulf him, sending him down to where he was needed most.

 

**

 

When Loki opened his eyes, he was in a musty gray cell. The walls were built from gray cinderblock, and the only opening to the outside world was a metal door with a single window on it that opened from the outside. Loki let the tesseract disappear in his hand as he turned around. There was nothing in the room aside from a toilet, sink, and a bed pressed against the wall. 

And on that bed, Alice.

Her eyes were closed and her chest was falling and rising evenly. Bruises painted her face and neck. Tears were forming in Loki’s eyes as he looked at her. What had they done to her?

Loki walked over to her, noticing the lack of sheets or blankets on the bed. She was shivering. Her lips were tinted blue. He ran his hand over her arm, trying to warm her. He felt her relax against his touch. Warmth swelled in Loki’s heart at the sight. Even in her slumber, she knew it was him. 

Loki gripped her arm a bit tighter as he was about to unleash the power of the tesseract once more. But before he could, Alice stirred and opened her eyes.

“My love, it’s me.” Loki whispered as he ran his arm down her arm. Alice turned and looked at Loki with confusion.

“I’m sorry, sir. I don’t know you.” Alice said with a groggy voice. Loki looked at her closer, noticing the blankness in her green eyes. It was if they were washed a different color. She sure looked like his Alice, but she definitely wasn’t acting like her.

“Alice, it’s okay. No one’s here, I’m going to get you out of here.” Loki encouraged her. His grip on her arm tightened as she tried to back herself away from him. Her back pressed against the wall as he let his hand fall from around her arm.

“You must leave before my master returns.” Alice said slowly. Her silky voice was now broken and choppy. Loki’s heart was breaking as every second passed. “You will learn to regret it.”

“I can handle them. You know that.” Loki scoffed. Alice shook her head. Loki could see the fear in her eyes.

“It’s not them you must deal with.” Alice whispered. “It’s me.”

Loki let his smirk fall as he looked into her eyes. He could see she wasn’t lying. She didn’t recognize him, but he could tell she wanted to. She wanted to remember him, because she was trying to protect him. He reached a hand forward to cup her cheek, but before he could touch her skin, she grabbed his wrist in her small hand.

“Alice, come with me. I can protect you.” Loki watched as she ran her thumb down the pulse on his wrist. She tilted her head as her eyes shut. 

“L…Lo…” She squeezed her eyes shut. Sweat was beading on her forehead. She was trying to say his name.

“Yes, my love. Say it. You know me.” Loki smiled as she continued to circle her thumb against his wrist. Suddenly, her grip on his wrist tightened as she let out a horrid scream. Loki jumped back as much as he could with her still holding him. When her scream ended, her eyes opened and focused on them.

They were completely empty.

Devoid of all emotion, her eyes were tinted a sort of yellow. She squinted slightly as she looked at Loki’s wrist in her hand. A wicked grin grew onto her lips as she looked at her hand wrapped around the paleness of Loki’s arm. 

“Oh, this will never do.” Alice sinisterly laughed in a way Loki never knew her sweet self was capable of. She tightened her grip like a vice and threw Loki across the room. He hit against the wall with a loud thud and fell to the ground. He looked over at Alice, watching her walk towards him with an intent to hurt him.

“So they made you stronger. That’s fun.” Loki rolled his eyes as he tried to get up. Alice sent her foot flying into his gut before he could stand, sending him back to the ground with a huff. He groaned and looked up at Alice who was staring down at him with no signs of remorse or recognition in her eyes.

“Get up, puny god.” Alice grabbed Loki by his hair, pulling at the roots like weeds, and threw him to the other side of the room. Loki rolled on the ground and held his head.

“Alright, Hulk, relax there.” Loki scoffed at the name she had given him, remembering it all too clearly from Bruce. Alice ran across the room and pinned him against the wall with her knee.

“You shouldn’t have come here.” She spat out, letting a fire grow in the center of her palm. “Fight me.”

“I’m not going to hurt you, Alice.” Loki panted as she moved her hand directly in front of his face. He could feel the warmth radiating from the fire in her hand. He looked up at his love. Even as she was now, he could never imagine inflicting pain on her. “You know I never would.”

“Then you’re a fool!” Alice screamed. She sent her hand flying forward as Loki ducked out of the way. He rolled out from underneath her as she sent her fire flying against the wall. She turned towards Loki, eyes burning red. She hurled another burst of flames at him as he ran through the cramped cell. She was throwing fire at him with every step he took, and eventually, she landed a set of flames against his cheek.

Loki yelled out as he sank to the ground, gripping his burnt face. He could feel the skin charring under his touch. As she approached him slowly, he pressed his hand to his cheek and let the skin heal as quickly as he could. 

Loki stared at Alice. His beautiful angel had lost her wings. She was nothing more than a machine in front of him. He would never be able to save her if he couldn’t defeat her. Maybe if he knocked her out, he would be able to sedate her long enough to bring her home. Loki groaned, he would hate himself for hurting her, but he would hate himself more for letting her live this way.

“Fine, then. If it’s a fight you want, it’s a fight you’ll get.” Loki growled as he let a dagger appear in his hand. He swiped the blade against her leg, causing Alice to double over and press her hands against the cut. Loki lunged forward and pushed her into the wall. He went to throw a punch at her, but she caught his hand before he could land it. Quickly, she twisted his arm so she could slide out from under his grip. Igniting a flame, she pressed her hand to the back of his neck. Loki screamed out and fell the ground.

He growled and sent his arm flying back so he could elbow her in the gut. She fell backwards and Loki placed a charm over her to keep her hands stuck to the ground. Alice screamed at the restraint as Loki lifted himself from the ground. She looked like an animal as she flailed around. 

“Alice this isn’t you! Let me help you.” Loki said as he leaned over Alice. He placed a hand to her forehead and tried to subdue her. He tried putting her to sleep while his magic still held onto her. Her flailing calmed down as he tried to push past whoever was in her head. “Sleep, my love.”

“Never.” She choked out. She lifted her legs and kicked Loki in the crotch where he stood over her. He doubled over and groaned in pain.

“That was as much fun as the first time you did that.” Loki growled as Alice jumped up from the ground, the magic over her arms disappearing as he lost concentration.

“Don’t you understand? You can’t beat me. Alice is gone. Only the Phoenix remains!” Alice screamed out, shooting bursts of fire towards Loki. 

He maneuvered his way through the cell, keeping his eyes trained on Alice. Her face was angry and her eyes were empty, but he could still a fraction of her true self hiding behind whoever was controlling her. She was still Alice. She just didn’t have control of the wheel. She was buried deep down inside this ghost of a person she was in. All of her memories remained, they were still present. He just needed to fish them out.

“No, Alice. You’re in there. I know you are.” Loki said as he dodged her flames. He thrusted his arms out and sent her flying against the cinderblock wall. Before she fell, Loki used his spells to bind her completely against the wall. Green ropes of magic wrapped around her wrists, waist, legs, and neck. He cast another spell to keep her hands shut like he had before when they trained together. 

“Asshole! Let me go!” Alice screamed. Loki simply chuckled as he walked right in front of her.

“Normally, you like when I tie you up.” Loki smirked as he stood directly in front of her. Loki’s smile faded as he stared at Alice. She was bleeding from him. Bruises were all over her and anger was in her eyes. But it wasn’t her, and he had to remember that. He needed to save her. What he was about to do would hurt, and he knew it, but he needed to hurt her to save her.

Loki placed his hand in front of him and pressed it to her forehead. Alice growled as he pressed against her harder. He looked her directly in the eyes as he forced her memories to surface. He used every ounce of energy in him to draw out what he knew hid inside her. He felt the walls around her crumbling as he fished out the first thing he could find.

Him standing behind the glass wall.

Loki hooked onto that memory and pressed his hand harder against her forehead. Her screams were getting lower as he begged the memories to come forward. The image was clearer now. It was Loki standing in the cell, his hand pressed to the glass with Alice standing on the other side, mirroring his position. He willed the memory to get stronger. Every wall in her mind was falling.

The next thing he found was them standing in the forest that he transformed into Asgard. Then, he found them lying in bed together as she cried in his arms as she told him about her past. He found them making love in her bed for the first time. He pulled out the memories of Loki protecting her on every mission they went on. 

Alice’s screams were no more as Loki saw tears forming in her eyes. He could see the life of her returning to her eyes, the yellow tinge fading away. He could feel her breathing returning to normal as he flooded the memories into her mind.

“Remember me.” Loki whispered. Tears were pouring down Alice’s face. She looked up at Loki.

“I do.” Alice said quietly, her voice sweet and soft again. She blinked a few times before she whispered his name. “Loki.” 

Loki let the magic he placed on her disappear. She fell forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. Loki slumped his shoulders and wrapped his arms around her waist. She was back, she was here. He pulled back and pressed her against the wall, kissing her with everything he had. He kissed her like it was the end of the world. His hands cupped her cheeks as he kissed her. Her hands tangled in his hair as she pulled him closer. She pressed her body against him, needing to feel every inch of him. When they pulled back, Loki traced his fingers across her lips.

“How did you find me?” Alice whispered. Loki ran his hand down to her jacket and pulled it aside. Then, he pulled her shirt aside to reveal the golden pin her gave her.

“The pin led me to you. I forgot it was enchanted to locate someone.” Loki smiled down at her. Alice bit her lip and reached up to touch Loki’s cheek. She leaned forward again and pressed her lips to his softly. When they pulled away, Loki’s eyes were welling up with salty tears. “I thought I lost you.” Loki let a tear slip from his eyes. Alice reached up and brushed it away.

“You’ll need to.” Alice said with pain in her voice. Loki stepped back, still holding onto her, and shook his head.

“No, Alice. I saved you. I can bring you back home.” Loki said. He moved forward again and gripped her shoulders. He stared into her eyes as he watched all form of hope and relief fade away from them. Alice shook her head and started crying again. 

“Loki, they’ve got me. They can take me over again.” Alice sobbed. “You need to kill me.”

“No! I’m not doing that!” Loki yelled. 

“My mission is to kill you. It’s to kill you and Thor and Tony and everyone! Please! You can’t make me do this!” Alice choked out.

“I know I promised you, but I can’t!” Loki grabbed Alice’s shoulders. Alice’s tears flooded out faster as she fell the ground, grabbing her head. She began screaming again, the same scream the let out when they took her over just moments earlier. Loki fell to his knees and pressed the memories into her mind again. It was harder than it was last time, but he still felt himself pulling through. Her screaming calmed as she grabbed onto his arms.

“Do it!” 

“I can’t!” Loki screamed. He pushed them out again. Alice fell against the wall, tears falling from her eyes. “I’m getting you out of here! The team is waiting to come inside and take everyone down.”

“You can’t!” Alice cried. “They injected me with a serum. I can’t use my powers unless they will me to. If I leave the compound, it will kill me.”

“Then, I’ll kill them all now.” Loki growled. He lifted himself from the ground and let the tesseract appear in his hands. Alice looked up at the glowing blue cube with her mouth open.

“Loki, is that…”

“That’s a discussion for later, Alice. Come on.” Loki urged her off the ground. She was trembling in his grip. She shook her head.

“I can’t. I can’t use my powers, they’ll just kill me!” Alice pleaded with her eyes. Loki sighed and wrapped his arms around her. He pressed a kiss to her temple.

“You are so much stronger than you think. You drop kicked me across this room several times just moments ago. We can do this.” Loki whispered into her ear. “I’m here now. I’ll protect you.”

He felt Alice nod against his chest. Loki pulled back and held the tesseract out.

“Their headquarters in the center of the building. That’s where all the controls will be.” Alice sighed. She placed her hand in Loki’s and looked at him with desperation. 

“Lead the way, my rose.”

Alice blushed at the name. Even in a moment like this, he still brought the rosiness to her cheeks. They felt the power of the tesseract wash over them as Alice closed her eyes and pictured exactly where they needed to be. 

Alice couldn’t afford to be afraid anymore. She couldn’t afford to let herself be weak. She was strong. She was powerful.

She wouldn’t let anyone hurt her anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Loki actually found her! They fought again, and Loki was able to pull her from her mind control (twice!). Is it enough though? Can Loki get her out of the Organization? Will she fall victim to Sullivan Carr and his mind control again? Let me know what you think!
> 
> Thank you again for all your patience with this chapter!!


	30. The Saviors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thank you for reading, and as always, comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 4210

Alice wasn’t exactly sure what the tesseract was. She knew it was capable of harnessing immense levels of energy and it was a weapon that Steve Rogers had found back in a different time. It was a treasure that SHIELD wanted, and it was the tool Loki used to transport into and attack New York. Beyond that, it was just a glowing blue cube that looked like it came directly out of a video game. 

She knew that this thing must be pretty powerful if so many people wanted it. In this moment, however, Alice could feel how extremely powerful it really was. As she held onto Loki, arms clamped around him out of fear of being let go again, she could feel the intensity radiating from the cube. He told her to picture where they needed to go and the tesseract would take them there. He neglected to tell her how painful it would be.

The cube felt like it was pulling every ounce of energy she had from her. Sweat was beginning to drip from her forehead and down her arms. Her stomach was flipping in circles as a heat started attacking her skin. She felt like she was in a sauna and she was worried her sweaty palms would slip from Loki’s grip. 

Loki looked at Alice, his more durable body feeling much less strain. Still, she could see the moisture of sweat beads gathering on his forehead and the deepening of purple shadows under his eyes. He held onto her tighter, pulling her into the side of his body as tight as he possibly could without snapping her in half as he felt the tingling begin in his feet. The tesseract was starting to navigate them through the boundaries of space and into the facility’s headquarters. Alice pressed her face into Loki’s shoulder. It hurt, but staying here in the hands of the Organization would hurt even more. 

Suddenly, they were no longer in Alice’s cell. They had appeared in a giant room full of guards and computers. Everyone in the room looked up at Loki and Alice and immediately shot up from their seats, aiming their guns at the pair. Loki pushed Alice behind his back as the gunshots began firing. Alice ducked behind Loki as best she could, covering her ears from the sounds of the gunshots. 

Loki growled, the bullets reflecting off of his tight body as if he was a solid wall. He lifted his hand and muttered a spell. The bullets that were once flying towards them had now turned in midair so they were flying back at the guards. Within the minute, every guard in the room had been shot by their own guns and were lying dead on the cold ground.

Loki looked at the tesseract and whispered something under his breath, and sent it disappearing into the air. He closed his eyes and willed the cube to do exactly what he needed it to. Loki turned to see Alice cowering behind his back.

“Come, my love.” Loki said quietly over his shoulder. Alice pulled herself up and opened her eyes. She looked around the room to see the guards all lying on the ground, blood pooling around them. She covered her mouth in horror at the sight.

“Loki, how did you do this?” Alice whispered. “There was like 300 of them.”

“300? Wait, how many children did Stark say were kidnapped?” Loki moved forward and looked at the screens of the computers. 

“300.” Alice gasped, following Loki. Her eyes trained on a screen labelled ‘#233’. On the screen was a cell with a young boy, no older than 10 years old, curled up in the corner. He was rocking back and forth, grabbing his hair. “What is this?”

“Each screen is labelled.” Loki muttered, his eyes dancing to all the screens around him. Each one showed a different kid, but none of them were together. “Each of these men were watching over a child in this facility.”

“They look so broken.” Alice whispered, her voice barely audible. Every child looked to be in so much pain. It broke her heart to see these kids, it was like a reflection of herself. 

“Where are they?” Loki squinted at the screen. Their cells looked even worse than Alice’s. They were smaller and darker. Some didn’t even have sinks, like Alice’s. Loki scoffed. It seemed Alice got the VIP treatment.

“I don’t know. We need to find them.” Alice looked up into Loki’s eyes. He pulled her body against his and held her tight.

“You’re so brave.” Loki whispered into her hair. This position was so familiar, and Alice missed it. She felt tears sting her eyes again. She wanted nothing more than to just get out of here and hide away with Loki, but she knew she needed to save these children. 

“Yes, she is, isn’t she?” Loki and Alice whipped around to see Sullivan Carr standing on the opposite side of the room. Alice whimpered and scooted back. Loki looked down at her to see pain and worry in her eyes.

“Who are you?” Loki snarled. He stood up straighter and drank in the sight of the gray-haired man. Sullivan gave the two of them a toothy, wolfish grin.

“Again, sweet Alice, I’m hurt you didn’t tell your boyfriend about me!” Sullivan grabbed his chest, faking pain. He bellowed out a laugh and took a step forward. “My name is Sullivan Carr, son!”

“I take it you’re the one orchestrating all of this.” Loki let a dagger form in his hand. “I also take it that you’re the one who took Alice from us.”

“Smart, boy!” Sullivan put his hands in his suit pockets. “I’d put that dagger away if I were you.”

“Why should I listen to you?” Loki growled and lifted the dagger up. Sullivan shrugged and pulled out a device from his pocket.

“Because of this little gadget!” Sullivan shook the device in his hand. Loki felt Alice shift behind him, her hands gripping the back of his armor. “Oh, it’s a wonderful little thing. I press one button on this thing and every child in this facility dies, including our sweet Alice.”

“Impossible!” Loki barked out. Sullivan tilted his head and smirked.

“Didn’t our sweet Alice tell you about that lovely little serum we put in her?” Sullivan walked across the room with a wicked grin on his face. Loki never let his eyes leave him. “If any of these kids try to use their powers or escape, well, as long as I’m alive that serum will take its effect! But, oh, that’s not all. See, in the event of someone stumbling across this little facility, well I can kill every single kid in here without leaving my finger prints on anything.”

“You’re a sick man.” Loki spat out. Anger and rage boiled in his blood and he wanted nothing more than to throw his dagger into the ugly man’s throat. He knew he had to patient and wait. Alice’s life was on the line, and if he made one wrong move, she would pay the ultimate price for his impatience.

“Killing the innocent? How is that any different from you?” Sullivan squinted his eyes. Loki took a step back. Alice wrapped her hand around Loki’s arm. 

“I’ve moved past that a long time ago.” Loki growled. Sullivan chuckled and held his arms out.

“Have you?” He pointed down at the bodies of the dead guards. 

“They were trying to kill us!” Loki spat out. His nostrils were flared and his eyes were wide with anger. He was sick of playing this man’s game. “That’s it, I’m going to fucking kill you.”

“Not so fast!” Sullivan held up the device again. His thumb danced over the button that would change everything. Loki stopped in his tracks and held his hands out in defense. “Can’t you see? You can’t win! You kill me, I kill her! I’ll kill all of them! Then I’ll get my ass out of here and fly to another country. Capture even more kids. You can’t take me down.”

Loki paused, hearing a shuffling above his head. He smirked and looked into Sullivan’s dry, gray eyes. Loki sighed and turned around, walking back towards Alice. He looked at Sullivan and shrugged.

“You’re right. I can’t take you down.” Loki sighed and ran a hand through Alice’s hair. Loki locked eyes with Sullivan. “But they can.”

Without hesitation, a web shot down from the ceiling and grabbed the device out of Sullivan’s hand. Sullivan looked up to see Peter zipping across the ceiling in his Spiderman suit.

“No!” Sullivan shouted. Loki leaned over and shielded Alice’s body with his own as a hole was blown into the ceiling. Dust and concrete fell onto the ground, and Loki could feel some of the shards beating against his back as he protected Alice. Tony swooped into the room, clad in his newest Iron Man suit, and blasted Sullivan across the room. Sullivan hit the wall with a loud thud. Tony landed in front of him and held his hands out, blasters at the ready to strike Sullivan if he moved.

“Tony Stark, the Iron Man.” Sullivan laughed on the ground as he held his head. “Oh, I’ve been waiting for this.”

“Let those kids go now or you’re going to pay for it.” Tony said, his voice altered behind the mask of his suit. Sullivan turned his head and spat out some blood onto the ground.

“Over my dead body.” Sullivan growled. 

“I don’t have an issue with that.” Alice could tell that Tony was smirking behind his mask. She heard the sound of his blasters firing up as they still pointed at Sullivan.

“You’ll never get all those kids out.” Sullivan laughed. 

“We have our ways.” Tony shrugged. Alice found her way out from under Loki’s body as she slowly walked towards Sullivan. She loomed over him and placed her foot on her chest.

“You lost. You finally lost. All my life I waited until the day you couldn’t hurt anyone anymore. It’s finally here.” Alice smirked. She pressed her foot down on Sullivan’s chest bone as he groaned under her.

“Sweet, Alice. Are you ever going to thank me?” Sullivan laughed as he laid his head back onto the dusty floor. His lips were stained from the blood he was coughing out.

“What the fuck would I thank you for?” Alice spat out. Sullivan chuckled.

“I’m the reason you can use your powers so strongly! That deserves at least a pat on the back!” Sullivan smirked. Alice’s eyes were filled with hatred as she stared down at the man who plagued her past. He haunted her for longer than he should have. The way he abused her, made her submit to his control. Bile was coming up Alice’s throat just at the thought. “And now, you can’t use them without me.”

“Fuck you.” Alice spat out as she ripped the dagger from Loki’s hand. Without hesitation, she brought the dagger down and impaled it into Sullivan. She watched the life leave his ugly eyes. As he took his last breath, Alice collapsed. It was like a weight lifted from her shoulders. 

“Alice! Are you okay?” Loki leaned down and collected Alice into his arms. Alice held her head, and it was like a deep fog was clearing. Thing were becoming more vibrant and vivid.

“I feel…great.” Alice looked up into Loki’s eyes and smiled. She glanced over at Sullivan’s dead body. A tear ran down her cheek as she threw her arms around Loki’s neck. “Am I finally free?” 

“It looks like it.” Tony said from across the room. Alice pulled herself up from the ground and walked over to Tony. His back was to her as he examined all the computer screens. The guards were all sprawled onto the ground dead. The kids were being led from their cells by Wanda’s influence. 

Tony turned around, his helmet off of his face. Alice was staring into his eyes with tears in her own. She lunged forward and hugged him. She pressed her face against the hard material of his suit and cried. He held her tighter than he ever did before.

“Thank you.” She whispered against him. Tony shook his head and squeezed her tighter.

“I’m sorry. This was all my fault. I should’ve put you and Loki together.” Tony sighed. Alice pulled back and shook her head.

“Sullivan’s dead. The kids are safe. That’s all that matters now.” Alice smiled. She looked over Tony’s shoulder to see Peter standing behind him. Alice squealed and ran over to the younger boy, pulling him into her arms. “You’re okay!”

“Yeah! Mr. Stark and his fancy tech got me all patched up. I’m good as new.” Peter smiled. He looked down at Alice’s wrist to notice that her suit band wasn’t there. “Hey, where’s your suit?” 

“They took it.” Alice sighed and turned to Tony, anger and embarrassment lighting up her cheeks a crimson red. “I’m sorry. I have no idea where it is.”

“Well, I guess we’ll just need to make a new one. I hope Bruce hasn’t lost the files.” Tony pursed his lips. Alice looked over Tony’s shoulder to see Loki smirking and shaking his head in the corner. He came forward and let out a laugh.

“You all seem to forget that I have powers.” Loki smiled as he lifted his hand. In his palm, the band that held Alice’s suit appeared. Alice grinned and ran across the room. She snatched the band from Loki’s hand and placed it over her wrist. She turned her head up and wound her fingers into Loki’s hair. She pulled him down and kissed him with everything she had. Quite frankly, she didn’t care if anyone was watching. She was free, and Loki saved her. She kissed him like it was their first time. 

“There’s a literal child in the room.” Tony called out. Loki growled against Alice’s lips and pulled up to look at Tony. 

“I would say something about how irritable you are, but I won’t.” Loki pulled away from Alice and stood in front of Tony. He held his hand out. “Instead, I want to thank you. Tony, you helped save Alice. You put your trust in me even when I betrayed you. Alice is alive right now because of you, and I could not be more thankful for that.”

Tony looked down at Loki’s extended hand. Slowly, he reached his own hand out and grasped Loki’s. Alice watched the two men make peace, their hands interlocked and their eyes meeting each other’s. Her heart swelled with emotion as she watched what was happening before her. Sullivan was dead, she was safe, and two of the most important people in her life were finally on good terms.

“I still can’t forgive you for that stunt you pulled with tesseract, but we’ll work something out I guess.” Tony smirked. He let his hand fall. “The cube is secure. And you’ll never be seeing it again.”

“I figured as much.” Loki sighed. “Well, shall we get out of here then?”

“We probably should.” Tony nodded. “Alice, take lover boy up to the jet.”

“You’ve got it.” Alice smiled as she let her suit transform over her body. She wrapped her arm around Loki and placed her other palm towards the ground. As she went to shoot air out of her palm to blast them upwards, she felt a crippling pain surge through her body. Alice screamed and dropped her arm from around Loki. She collapsed to the ground as Loki, Peter, and Tony ran towards her.

“Alice! My love, what happened?” Loki crouched down over her. He ran his cold hands over her to help soothe her pain. 

“The serum. It’s still in me. It’s still stopping me from using my powers.” Alice said between her tears. The pain was subsiding but it still burned her veins. Loki’s hands on her felt like ice compared to the burning within her.

“Sullivan said you could never use your powers because of him.” Loki said slowly. He looked up at Tony as he tightened his hold on Alice. “Tony, we must get this serum out of her.”

“We need to get her back to the lab.” Tony said as he scooped Alice up in his arms. “I’m flying her back, no need for the jet.”

“Tony, let me take her back. Give me the tesseract, I can get her back faster.” Loki bargained. Tony let his helmet cover his face as he shook his head.

“I can’t do that, you know that. You can’t be trusted with that cube.” Tony said. Alice slumped into his arms, wishing Loki was the one holding her.

“Stark, let me take care of her.” Loki said through gritted teeth. Alice reached out for Loki, but it was too late. She was already flying high through the air, leaving Loki behind once again.

 

**

 

As soon as the jet landed back at Stark Tower, Loki was running through the halls. Only moments after Tony took off with Alice, Thor had flown himself and Bruce back to the tower using Mjolnir. Thor promised Loki that by bringing Bruce back instead of him, Alice had a better chance of getting the serum out sooner because there would be two scientists working on her rather than one. The entire ride back to New York had Loki trembling. What if Alice could never use her powers again? She would be living in fear again if she had to worry about that. 

So, when Loki finally found the lab that Alice was being housed in, he wasted no time in bursting through the doors to see her. He was met with Bruce leaning over Alice, writing things down and Tony rubbing his eyes in the corner. 

“Quiet down, frosty. She’s sleeping.” Tony groaned as he uncovered his eyes. 

“Is she alright? Has the serum been taken out of her?” Loki asked as he walked forward. Tony stepped forward and placed a hand on Loki’s chest to stop him from walking further.

“We can’t get it out.” Tony whispered. Loki looked at Bruce who was visibly pulling at his own hair. 

“What do you mean? You’re two of the most brilliant men on Midgard. Are you telling me that elderly scum got the best of you?” Loki snapped. Bruce looked up and took his glasses off. 

“We can get it out, but we shouldn’t.” Bruce sighed. Loki pushed past Tony to stand in front of Bruce. He placed a cold hand on the shorter man’s shoulder.

“Explain this to me.” Loki said simply. Bruce turned around and looked over Alice’s sleeping body. Bruce placed a hand on her arm and smiled. She was so peaceful like this.

“It’s quite easy to get the serum out. However, if we attempt to extract it, it’s going to kill her.” Bruce let his hand fall from Alice’s arm. 

“The serum is running through her veins. It’s attached itself to her red blood cells. If we stick an IV in her and try to drain it out, then we’re draining her blood too.” Tony summarized. He looked at Loki. “She’ll bleed out if we attempt to clear her body of it.”

“So what does that mean for her?” Loki swallowed. Both Bruce and Tony looked at Loki at offered him a trying smile. Loki saw right through it.

“She can live with it in her. It isn’t making her sick. She’ll live a perfectly normal life. But that’s all. She can’t use her powers anymore.” Tony said softly. Loki slowly pushed past the two men and walked over to Alice. He knelt down beside the bed and cried. This was all his fault. He couldn’t protect her, and now she had lost her powers.

“I’m so sorry, Alice.” Loki sobbed out. Between his ragged breaths and shaking, he felt a hand run itself through his hair. He looked up and saw Thor standing over him. His blue eyes were peering into Loki’s. Loki stood and fell into his brother’s arms. Thor simply held him. He said nothing, but just let his brother cry. 

After a few minutes, Loki pulled back to look at Thor. Thor smiled gently and placed a hand on Loki’s shoulder. He cupped his shoulder tightly, then moved his hand up to brace the side of Loki’s neck, just like he always did to comfort him.

“Crying, now?” Thor sighed. “What happened to you being the stronger brother?” Thor tried to tease him, hoping to make him feel a bit better.

“This is my fault, Thor. I should’ve protected her.” Loki looked down. Thor chuckled softly. 

“Why must you feel so much anguish? She is alive! She’s healthy! She may not be able to chuck fire at you anymore, but she’s still Alice!” Thor shook Loki back and forth. “This is no time to mourn, this is time to rejoice.” 

“Rejoice at the fact she will be broken hearted?” Loki spat out. Thor shrugged and let his hand fall to his side. 

“At first, she may be. But you know how Alice is, she’s positive. She’ll move on.” Thor smiled. “And maybe one day we will figure out a cure for her.”

“Asgard.” Loki whispered. He looked upwards to Thor. Loki’s eyes brightened and his lips curled up into a smile. “Frigga could cure her.”

“Brother, do not think so far ahead.” Thor’s face went grim. “Father would never want to heal a Midgardian, you know his opinion on their fragile mortality. Giving Alice false hope would break her even more.”

“Odin is selfish.” Loki growled. Thor chuckled and nodded.

“Perhaps.” Thor shrugged. “For now, spend time with Alice. She needs you.” 

Alice was beginning to stir on the table. Loki turned to see her stretching her limbs. Silently, Tony, Bruce, and Thor stalked out of the room, leaving Loki alone with his lover. As the door slid closed, Loki stood next to Alice and placed his hand in hers. When her eyes slowly opened and adjusted to the light, Loki felt his heart melt.

“My rose.” Loki sighed happily. Alice turned her head on the pillow, and the most beautiful smile graced her face. Loki squeezed her hand and leaned over her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. 

“It feels good to be home.” Alice stretched her arms out and began to sat up. She swung her legs over the side of the bed to face Loki as she sat there. She turned to look at Loki and noticed the sadness in his eyes. She reached her hand out and brushed it along the sharp cheekbones of Loki’s face. She ran her fingertips across his cheeks, over his nose, and across his lips. His eyes shut at her gentle touch, relishing in the feeling of her simply being there. Alice reached up and smoothed out the stress creases in Loki’s forehead. “What’s on your mind, Loki?”

“I’ve missed you.” Loki whispered. Alice didn’t answer, she simply leaned forward and pressed her lips to Loki’s. Her hands cupped his neck as she leaned into him. Loki wrapped his arms around her, pulling her as close to the edge of the bed as possible. Her fingers moved up to tangle in his hair as their lips molded together. Alice moaned softly as Loki ran his hands along her back. She kissed him desperately, needing to feel him against her after what felt like years apart. Loki pulled away and pressed kisses down Alice’s neck and to her collarbone. He pushed his hips forward into Alice’s thigh, and she felt him stiffen against her. Alice let her head roll back as she laughed.

“Are we about to fuck in Bruce’s lab?” Alice giggled. Loki purred against her skin and pulled away to look into her eyes. There was still something off within Loki and it bothered Alice more than she would admit.

“If that so pleases you.” Loki winked. He went to lean his head down to kiss her skin again, but Alice pulled on his hair to stop him before he could. Loki looked up at her with confusion. “What’s wrong, my dear?”

“I should be asking you that.” Alice smiled. “Something’s bothering you. What is it?”

“I said, I’ve missed you.” Loki ran his hand down Alice’s arm in order to hold her hand. 

“For the God of Lies, you sure suck at lying.” Alice laughed softly. Loki smirked and rolled his eyes.

“You know me too well, that’s why.” Loki smiled. 

“You can tell me anything, Loki.” Alice kissed his cheek. He held onto Alice’s hand and let his smile fade. He needed to tell her what happened. If she didn’t know that she couldn’t use her powers, he didn’t want her to find that out the hard way. He looked into her eyes. They were so innocent and happy. She had just overcome her greatest enemy, and she was free from her mental manipulation. Yet, even now, she wasn’t totally free. A part of her still belonged to the Organization. 

“Alice, something has gone terribly wrong.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So even though Alice is free from the Organization and Sullivan Carr is dead...Alice has lost her powers. What do you think is going to happen to her? How will she react to finding this out?


	31. Slow and Sensual*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: NSFW content!  
> A summary will be posted at the end of the chapter if you don't want to read smut!
> 
> P.S. I have a question for you guys that I would love for you to answer! I'll post that at the end as well!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So just when we thought that our heroes would have some peace, the plot continues to thicken...
> 
> Thank you guys for reading, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! As always, comments and kudos are loved and appreciated!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 5708

For as long as she could remember, Alice’s life revolved around one thing: her powers. They were the reason her parents abandoned her. They were the reason she was put into the hands of the Organization (twice, none the less). They were the reason she hated herself for so many years. They were the reason she learned to live on her own. They were the reason she was welcomed into the Avengers. They were the reason she was who she was.

So, when Loki had told her that the serum that was stopping her from using her powers was still in her, and there was no way that they could get it out without killing her, Alice felt numb. Everything around her seemed fake, all of a sudden. Why was she in Bruce’s lab? She wasn’t a superhuman anymore. Why was Loki staring at her with such sincere eyes? She was nothing extraordinary anymore. She was just a girl.

Alice didn’t want to believe Loki. She was waiting for his lips to curve into that graceful little smirk of his. He would laugh, tell her she’s foolish for believing him, then pull her against his body and kiss her like there was no tomorrow. 

But he didn’t.

He didn’t smirk. He didn’t laugh. He didn’t kiss her. He just stared at her with regret in his eyes. Alice couldn’t stand to look at him this way. 

So, she didn’t answer him. She just nodded. Alice slid herself off the lab bed, walked passed Loki, and carried herself out of the lab doors. She ignored everyone she passed in the hallways. Thor tried to hug her, she simply pulled away. Bucky tried to walk with her, she turned and walked away. Tony tried to talk to her, she just ignored him, placed her suit in his hand, and walked away.

By the time she got to her room, Alice did the only thing she felt right doing: taking a shower. It was so simple; anyone could do it. That’s who she was now. She was just an anyone. 

Alice turned on the shower to as hot as it possibly could go without burning her. She stripped herself completely bare as she stared at herself in the mirror that was slowly fogging up. She was covered in cuts and bruises, most of them given to her by Sullivan, and some given to her by Loki. She danced her fingers over the damaged skin, almost admiring how she looked like a painting. But then, she felt bile rising in her throat and she couldn’t stand to look at herself anymore. She had been broken and thrown away. She would never be the same, and that was something she wasn’t quite sure how to handle. Alice felt tears stinging her eyes as she walked into the tiled structure. As soon as the water started hitting her skin, Alice let out a deep sigh at the sensation. It was then that she started crying.

The sound of the shower drowned out the sound of her sobs. Her fingers scraped the tiled walls as she let her tears fall freely. She was angry, she was sad, but she was also happy. She was happy she was alive. She was happy she still had Loki. She was happy her mind was free.

But, still, she was so terribly angry.

She had freed herself from Sullivan Carr and the Organization, and yet they still had one last hold on her. If they couldn’t have her powers, then no one could. She still fell victim to their tricks and evil games, and it made Alice sick to her stomach. She felt dirty and disgusting. Alice turned and poured shampoo into her hands, then rubbed it into her scalp until it stung. Her nails scratched her head as hard as they could. Alice wailed quietly as she scrubbed her head.

Then, she soaped herself up. She rubbed her skin as hard as she could. The arms and legs were completely red, practically bruised a second time over, by the time she finished. It stung to terrible amounts. She was already covered in deep purple bruises and sharp red cuts from the abuse she endured at the Organization, but she didn’t care. She needed the sensation to feel real. She let the hot water burn against her sensitive skin as she just stood under the spray. She let the water droplets cascade down her face as her tears fell silently.

The water’s sound was so powerful that she almost didn’t hear the bathroom door open. Alice heard the sound of the shower curtain being pulled open, then closed. She felt the presence of someone standing behind her, and she knew exactly who it was.

“What have you done to yourself?” Loki whispered from behind her. Alice didn’t want to look at him. She was ashamed. Loki cupped his hand over her shoulder, and the chill of his skin sent icicles running down her burning skin.

“I didn’t give myself these bruises. You can thank Sullivan for them.” Alice said cynically. She left out the part about Loki giving her a few of them. She didn’t want to be reminded of what he had to do to her. Loki shook his head and sighed.

“I’m not talking about the bruises. Your skin is burning red.” Loki pointed out as he ran his fingers down the expanse of her arms and back.

“I showered.” Alice shrugged. She couldn’t see him, but she knew Loki was rolling his eyes. “You broke your promise.”

“I knew I could save you, Alice. There was no need to take your life.” Loki said softly. He was barely audible over the sound of rushing water. He felt Alice’s body shake and he instantly knew she was crying.

“Thank you.”

The words stunned Loki. He was ready for her to turn around and slam her fists against his wet chest. He anticipated her screaming at him as those angry tears fell from her eyes. But no, she thanked him.

“I’m alive because of you.” She whispered. “But I’m so sorry that you had to see me like that. You saw me turn into a monster. I’m so sorry.” He took a step forward, and forced Alice to look at him.

“You have no reason to apologize. There’s no need to be ashamed. It’s just you and me here.” Loki traced his thumb under Alice’s eye, catching what could have been a droplet of water from the shower or a stray tear. Based on her red eyes and puffy face, Loki was sure it was the latter. “I never wanted to hurt you. I’m sorry that I ever needed to lay a hand on you.” 

“You did what you needed to do, and I would never blame you for that. I didn’t mean to leave you behind in the lab. I’m sorry.” Alice let her eyes fall to Loki’s perfectly sculpted body in front of her. His wet hair was pressed to his shoulders, making it seem even longer than it was. The spray from the shower ran down his pale chest, curving into every dip in his stomach. His arms were tense, and Alice could see the muscles flex carefully below the long expanses of skin. She didn’t let her eyes wander any further down. She knew she would start blushing if she looked any further. 

“There is nothing to be sorry for, my rose. I’m the one who should be sorry. I let this happen to you.” Loki bit his lip. Alice looked back up into Loki’s eyes and shook her head. She reached up and cupped both sides of Loki’s face with her smaller hands. 

“The last thing I want is for you or anyone else to blame yourselves for this. Sullivan Carr did this to me, not any of you.” Alice paused as her thumbs traced circles against Loki’s pale, wet skin. They were so vulnerable together in this moment. Then, it hit her. She was here, standing in front of Loki. Her mind was free and her captors were dead. She was safe again. Yes, Alice had grown to love her powers, but she was still breathing. Loki still looked at her with love. Maybe this wouldn’t be as hard as she believed. She would need to do some reflection to try and figure out her new life, but she could do it. She believed in herself. Alice would never be able to cope with what happened if she held onto the anger that burned in her blood. The smartest thing to do was to let it go. “If I must live a life without my powers, then so be it. I’m alive, and I’m healthy. My powers shouldn’t define who I am.”

“Your life is the greatest gift I could ask for.” Loki pushed forward to rest his forehead against Alice’s. “I will love you regardless if you have your powers or not. You are my Alice, no matter what.”

Alice felt tears stinging in her eyes at Loki’s words. Her heart was filled with so much love. Alice stood on her toes and pressed her lips to Loki’s. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him under the shower spray. Hot water steamed between them as they kissed each other fervently. Their bodies were pressed directly against each other’s, leaving no room for anything else. Alice felt Loki’s wet hands spread across her slick back as he ran his tongue over her lower lip. She parted her lips, taking in every part of him that he would give to her. Against her thigh, Alice felt Loki stiffening quickly. His arousal sent her spiraling into her own desires. 

Alice pressed her hands against Loki’s chest, pushing him back slightly. She looked up at him, into his beautiful, ocean eyes. She ran one of her hands through his wet hair and the other down his slick chest. Carefully, Alice sunk down to her knees before Loki. She kissed his thighs before wrapping a delicate hand around his cock. Loki groaned at her touch, and let his hands fall to his side as Alice pumped him slowly. She looked up at him through hooded eyes with a cheeky smile.

As she moved her hand lazily, she could sense Loki getting impatient. He bucked his hips forward as she flicked her wrist. When she ran her thumb over the head of his cock, she could hear him hiss just loud enough over the sound of running water. But she wanted to take this slow. It had been an extremely trying day or so, filled with endless emotions, and she couldn’t handle something fast at this moment. She wanted Loki to run his hands over her with love and tenderness. 

“Can I take my time?” Alice looked up at Loki, silently asking for permission with her eyes. Loki let his lip fall from between his teeth and smiled down at Alice. Her hair was drenched and her eyes were still red. Her face was swollen and her arms were shaking, but she was still a vision. 

“Take all the time you need, my love. I know how much you’ve been through, and I promise I will be gentle with you.” Loki assured her. 

Alice thanked him as she ran her hand up and down his shaft, relishing in the airy moans spilling from Loki’s lips. Sure, she wanted to take everything slow today, but she was also dripping with desire. She leaned forward and licked a fat stripe up the underside of Loki’s cock. Loki groaned and rolled his head backwards. She swirled her tongue around the head of his cock, loving the salty taste on the tip of her tongue. She licked him up slowly, letting her tongue draw tiny shapes along his cock.

Loki’s hand went down to tangle in Alice’s hair. He tugged at the roots slightly, but not hard enough to give her any pain. Alice hummed at the sensation as she leaned forward to take the tip of Loki’s cock in her mouth. She sucked him gently, and let her hand fall to tease Loki’s balls. She heard him moan above him and could feel his breathing picking up.

“Fuck, Alice.” Loki groaned. Alice pulled off of him with a pop and began to stroke him again. She batted her eyelashes up at Loki, earning a scoff from the taller man. “Tease.”

“I try.” Alice shrugged. She leaned back in and took him in her mouth again. Slowly, she bobbed her head further and further down his shaft. Loki’s knees buckled at the feeling of her tongue dragging up and down the underside of his cock. Her lips were tight around him as she took him deeper. She relaxed her throat and let Loki in as far as she could. 

“Oh, fuck, yes.” Loki hissed through his teeth. He couldn’t look away from Alice as she kept her eyes focused up at him. Loki was panting as she continued to suck him, and he was trying to last as long as he could. Her mouth was sinful, however, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep his composure. He wanted nothing more than to pin her hands behind her back, grab the back of her head, and fuck her throat like an animal. 

Alice pulled off of him, and stroked him with her hand in her mouth’s absence. She was breathing heavily, her lips slick and red. She let her lips curl into a grin as she pumped Loki harder.

“Cum in my mouth, Loki. I want to swallow all of you.” Alice moaned out as she took Loki back into her mouth. She tightened her lips and moaned around his cock, knowing how much Loki got off on that. Loki groaned and grabbed Alice’s hair in both hands, and with a shout of her name, Loki released deep into her throat. Alice choked at the feeling, but swallowed every last drop of him. 

Loki pulled away from her and rested himself against the shower wall. He caught his breath as Alice licked some stray droplets of cum from her fingers. Loki groaned and reached down to pull Alice up. He pulled her against him and kissed her gently. It was a soft dance of love as his fingers traced the bruises on her skin. When they pulled apart, Alice noticed Loki was actually blushing. Oh, how the tables had turned.

“Let me take care of you, my love.” Loki said. He left no room for question. He turned Alice around, took some product into his hands, and began to massage Alice’s scalp. As he worked his fingers over her head, he noticed the nail scratches in her head. Loki shut his eyes and willed his tears to leave his eyes. “Why did you do this?”

“I was angry.” Alice bit her lip. She felt the product being washed from her hair as she let her eyes shut.

“Let me take care of you.” Loki repeated. Alice nodded and let herself fall against him. 

He washed her head, over and over again until the red lines on her head began to fade. Then, he washed her body with cool water, letting her irritated skin become more relaxed. When Loki finished, he shut the water off and pulled her from the shower. He grabbed one of the fluffy white towels that was hanging from the wall and proceeded to run it up and down her body. He ran the towel through her hair, drying the strands as best he could. He tended to every part of her with tenderness and care, never applying more pressure than he needed. 

Alice marveled at the fact that Loki didn’t use any magic to care for her. He did everything by hand when he could’ve snapped anything into existence. But he chose not to, instead he chose to show her how much he loved her by using his hands and his lips and his care. 

When Loki had finished, he let the damp towel fall to the floor. He pulled Alice against his body and kissed her neck. She let out a gentle sigh at the contact. Loki’s lips traced back up her neck to rest at the shell of her ear.

“May I have the honor of making love to you, my rose?” Loki whispered to her. His voice was like silk as his cold breath tickled her skin. Alice nodded eagerly at his request, breathing out a gentle ‘yes’ as her response. Loki hooked his arms under her ass and around her waist, then lifted her with ease. He connected their lips as he carried them back into their bedroom. He lay her down onto the bed, handling her like she was a piece of glass, and kissed down her neck, chest, and stomach.

Loki crawled back up Alice’s body and laid beside her. His hand danced down the expanse of her ribs and walked its way to her core. His fingers prodded at her folds, gathering her wetness on his fingers. Alice let out breathy moans as his middle finger played with her clit like a button.

Alice turned her head and pressed her lips to Loki’s. His fingers worked her slowly, wanting to take his time with her. Loki kissed her gently, letting their lips mold together naturally. Carefully, he inserted a single digit into her center, causing Alice to grab Loki’s hair and moan into his mouth. Loki pulled their lips apart to rest his forehead against Alice’s.

“You are divine, my dear.” Loki pressed a series of kisses to Alice’s cheek, causing the already red skin to deepen in shades even further. His finger curled inside of her, leaving Alice a moaning mess.

“Please, Loki. Give me more. I need you.” Alice whined. She pushed her hips down to take in as much of Loki as she could. Loki pressed a kiss to her temple as a second finger played with her rim.

“Easy, now, Alice. No need to rush. I’ve requested we be left alone in here until we desire to come out.” Loki chuckled. Alice giggled against Loki’s neck where she was planting gentle pecks. Her laughter was cut off by the sensation of Loki inserting a second finger into her. Alice rolled her head back onto the pillow as she let out airy pants. 

“It feels so good.” Alice shut her eyes tight. Loki watched Alice squirm on the bed. Her hips were bucking back against his fingers and her stomach was clenched. One of her hands was wrapped in the white bed sheets while the other was gripping Loki’s shoulder. Her eyes were screwed shut and her bottom lip was being nibbled between her teeth. Her chest was rising and falling unevenly, and Loki could see the tips of her wet hair beginning to dry. 

“You are a vision.” Loki whispered. His chest was tightening as he watched his lover receive so much pleasure from him. Alice may not be able to use her powers, but she was here. She was safe here with him. She was home. 

“Loki, make love to me.” Alice opened her eyes to look at Loki. She let the hand that was gripping his shoulder move up to his cheek. She pulled him towards her to kiss him. His lips were soft and tasted like how winter smelled. Loki’s fingers slowed their motions within her, and eventually he pulled them out slowly. Loki pulled back from Alice and smirked at her. He brought his fingers up to his mouth and licked them clean, never letting his eyes leave Alice’s gaze.

“I missed that.” Loki winked. Alice giggled and rolled her eyes. She ran her hands down Loki’s arms, just wanting to touch as much of him as she could. Loki pushed himself up to roll over her body and on top of her. He laid over her just like the first time they had made love.

“I love you.” Alice whispered as she felt Loki lining his cock up with her entrance. He teased her rim with the head of his cock before slowly pushing into her.

“Fuck, Alice. I love you, my goddess.” Loki groaned. She was so tight, and he was so eager. Loki took in deep breaths of air in order to steady himself. He wanted Alice’s pleasure to be put first, and he would do anything in his power to present her with such pleasure.

Loki began to thrust his hips gently after his hips met hers. He moved one hand up to hold Alice’s hand while the other wrapped around her thigh. He pushed her leg up to provide the best angle for Alice. It must have worked, since she rolled her head back with a moan as soon as Loki began thrusting. Alice’s free hand wrapped around the base of Loki’s neck. She pulled him completely against her. 

“Kiss me, please.” Alice moaned. Loki would never deny her this, and he pressed his lips to hers with passion. Alice’s pleasure was soaring and she felt her orgasm quickly chasing her. The way Loki’s cock was pushing in and out of her was divine. His grunts echoing in her mouth made her even wetter for him, though she wasn’t sure how that was possible. 

Loki pulled away from her to shove his face against her neck. His hips were snapping into Alice faster, but he was still being cautious with her. Alice, however, was so lost in her bliss that she practically forgot the past few days. Right now, all she could care about was Loki’s hands on her and his godly cock.

“You feel so good around me, my dear. So tight and wet for me. Oh, how I craved your lips. I craved being with you like this. With every passing moment, I wish to hear your delightful moans in my ear.” Loki purred into Alice’s ear. Alice whined and ground her hips back against Loki. She wanted his cock as deep in her as she could get him. 

“Loki!” Alice gasped as he slowed his hips to a practical stop. She lifted her head so she could look into her lover’s eyes. In them, she saw both pure adoration with a hint of mischief.

“We have all the time in the world, my love. There’s no need to rush.” Loki hummed as he moved his hips dreadfully slow. Alice groaned and tossed her head back. His hips may have been fucking into her at a slow pace, but his cock was even deeper in her than before.

“Loki, I want to cum.” Alice sighed as she felt Loki’s thrusts getting sloppy. She could tell he was getting close to his own edge too.

“How shall I finish you then, my dear? Do you want it slow like this?” Loki emphasized his question with a deep, slow thrust of his cock. “Or would you like it fast?” Loki quickly thrust into her, breaking his momentum. Alice gasped and nodded her head. 

“Fast.” She confirmed. Loki smirked.

“Brilliant idea.” Loki pecked her lips one last time before he pulled himself almost completely out of her, then thrust quickly back in. His cock was pounding against her spot, sending flares of immense pleasure up Alice’s spine. Her moans were loud and proud. Loki tightened his grip on Alice’s hand and thigh as his orgasm chased him to the edge. “Cum for me, Alice.”

Alice practically screamed as the waves of euphoria washed over her. She felt Loki spill into her and heard his moaning ringing in her ear. Yet, Alice was numb from the intensity of her orgasm. It was like her soul had floated directly out of her body. 

“Alice? My rose, come back to me.” She heard Loki faintly whisper. She turned her head and the image of a fuzzy Loki came into view. After a few moments, his face became clear and Alice could make out the features. She turned her body so she could pull herself against him.

“That was intense.” Alice giggled in her post-orgasmic high.

“It was. I was sure I lost you for a second, there.” Loki chuckled as he let Alice curl into his body. Carefully, he ran his knuckles up and down her arms. He began to count all the bruises that lined her body. There were too many. “Alice, how did you get these?”

“I was able to resist the mind control for a bit, and Sullivan didn’t like that.” Alice bit her lip. She didn’t dare move her head to look at Loki. If she saw the anger and sadness in his eyes, she was sure she would burst into tears at any moment.

“What did he do to you?” Loki sighed. He opened his hand and traced over the bruises with the pads of his fingers. His touch was feather-light, but Alice could still feel the pain.

“I’m sorry, Loki, but I can’t…I can’t talk about this right now.” Alice shut her eyes as she felt tears pooling in them. Loki held her tighter, wrapping both arms around her and buried his face in her hair.

“I understand. Take all the time you need, my love.” Loki whispered to her. Alice pressed a thankful kiss to Loki’s bare chest, and eventually, let herself slip into a well-deserved sleep.

 

**

 

When Loki said that he ordered everyone to leave them alone for as long as Alice needed, he wasn’t kidding. They had been cooped up in Alice’s room for almost a week and a half before they showed any signs of wanting to leave. 

Loki knew Alice was still sensitive and terrified over what happened, and he made sure to avoid that conversation at all costs. Despite her cheery smile, Loki knew that Alice was still hurt by the absence of her powers, so he made sure to keep his usage of his own magic to a minimum. The last thing he needed was to pour salt into the wound. He neglected to tell her that Tony was still trying to find a cure for her, and he may have found something that would help. It would be painful and quite the lengthy process, but it could work. Loki practically cried when he heard this, but he kept it hidden from Alice. He didn’t want her to get her hopes up.

When Alice had decided she finally wanted to leave the room, Loki was a bit hesitant. Her bruises may have been almost gone. Loki made sure he sped up their healing process, though, Alice said she didn’t want him to heal her completely. He was sure it was because his magic would remind her of the powers she once had, but he couldn’t stand seeing her in so much pain. He would wave his hands over her as she slept beside him, causing the bruises and cuts to shrink day by day. Loki could heal that part of her easily, but the scars on her heart were still there and were much more challenging for Loki to mend. He had made progress with her. She was beginning to smile more and joke around more, but he knew how much she was silently hurting inside. Loki knew how pressing Tony could be, and he was worried how Alice would react.

Nevertheless, Alice changed out of her pajamas, brushed her hair, and left the room with Loki’s arm wrapped around her waist.

“Ah, so they’re still alive!” Tony exclaimed as Alice and Loki walked outside onto one of the patio decks. Loki had suggested to Tony that meeting in a more casual setting than the meeting rooms might be beneficial for Alice’s sake, along with some well-needed fresh air. Loki led Alice to a couch on the far side of the deck and had her perch directly between himself and Bucky.

“Hey, Buck.” Alice smiled as Bucky leaned in to hug her. Quite frankly, she felt bad neglecting her friend for the past week, but he understood she needed time to heal. 

The group fell into an easy conversation, but everybody knew what conversation was desired to be brought up. No one wanted to be the first to bring up what happened. They all knew the gravity of this. However, Thor decided to be the one to bite the bullet.

“My friend, how are you fairing?” Thor said in a louder voice so everyone could hear. The room went silent and all eyes fell to Alice. She knew this was coming, but somehow, she still felt frozen.

“I’ve been better, truthfully. But, I’m safe and I’m healing.” She felt Loki’s hand come to rest on her thigh as a sign of comfort. She shot him a sincere glance, hoping he understand how much she appreciated the tiny gesture.

“I don’t mean to be forward, but Alice, what happened?” Clint asked. Alice bit her lip and tried to figure out where to start.

She began with the voice in her head when her and Peter were navigating the halls. Obviously, it was Sullivan. After he had shot Peter, he sent some sort of soundwaves into Alice’s brain that caused her to pass out. From there, he delivered her to their new facility where Melissa to two-faced nurse deposited the wicked serum in her. 

She recounted the story of waking up in the cell and her encounter with Sullivan, again. She explained how even though the mind control worked initially, she had found some sort of willpower in her to fight it, most likely thanks to Bucky and his ability to help her snap out of those episodes. When she tried to fight it, Sullivan began to hit her. He threw her against the ground and kicked every part of her that his feet could reach. He grabbed her hair and smashed her to the floor. The abuse had always made her mind more susceptible to being influenced, and apparently, Sullivan never forgot that.

After he, quite literally, beat the shit out of her, Alice was his for the taking. Her mind was subdued ever since. When Sullivan was sure that her mind was completely under his control, he had explained his plans to her. He wanted to send the army of children, with Alice as their leader, to New York to destroy the Avengers. With Earth’s mightiest heroes out of the way, Sullivan felt that he was free to do whatever he wanted, and could take full control of the superhuman world.

But, he never accounted for Loki having the tesseract. Who would? Because Loki just made himself appear into the cells, the cameras couldn’t detect him in time. He couldn’t be stopped before he reached Alice, and she was the only thing that could stop him. But, Loki was too powerful and he overpowered the mind control Alice was under.

“And you know everything passed there.” Alice finished, taking a deep breath. She was more collected than she imagined she would be. 

“You’re incredible, truly.” Steve said with a bright smile on his face. Slowly, the smile faded into a grimace. “I’m sorry about your powers, though.”

“Yeah, I guess that means I’m getting kicked out, huh?” Alice let out an embarrassed laugh. She looked down at her hands folded in her lap. Those hands once held so much power in them. What help could she be to the Avengers without them?

“You’re a part of the family, with or without powers.” Tony said firmly. “You’re not going anywhere. Maybe I’ll make you an Iron Alice suit too.” He teased. Alice rolled her eyes, but she didn’t put it past him to actually make one.

Alice looked up at Tony and thanked him. She looked at everyone standing there. They were all supporting her. She truly had found a family in this group of super misfits, and she couldn’t have been more grateful.

The moment of sentiment was cut short by the sound of a massive “BOOM” coming from behind them. Everyone turned their heads to see that the sky had opened up to reveal a bright cylindrical rainbow falling to the far side of the deck. Alice turned her head to look at Loki, only to see his eyes wide and his lips parted.

As the brightness of the rainbow disappeared, two men stood in its wake. They were clad in armor and bearing weapons. Alice heard Thor bellow out a cheer, and what sounded like a ‘hello’ to the two men. When she looked at the pair closer, she noticed the Asgardian symbols and carvings in their armor that matched Thor’s and Loki’s own designs. 

“Who are they?” Alice whispered to the now-standing Loki. Loki didn’t answer, he just stared at the two men ahead of them. She stood up, and felt Loki grab her waist. He held her tight against his body, leaving barely any space between them.

“Did you not tell your cute little friend about us, Loki?” The blonde man quipped. Alice felt Loki’s arm tighten around her at the man’s comment. He took a short step forward as if to block Alice’s body from the two men standing before them.

“I didn’t find it necessary, Fandral.” Loki practically snarled back at the blonde man, Fandral. The other man smirked and let out a jolly laugh.

“Ah, no need to be so hostile, Loki. We come bearing news.” The other man said, his deep-set eyes focusing on Thor. His hair was red and his smile was genuine.

“Volstagg, Fandral, what must you share with me?” Thor said to, what Alice presumed to be, his friends. Fandral crossed his armored arms over his chest and sent a cheeky smile to Thor.

“This time, it isn’t for you, Thor.” Fandral smirked. “It’s for Loki.”

“I beg your pardon?” Loki asked. His arm tightened once again around Alice, still holding her slightly behind him defensively. Volstagg took a single step forward and bowed in the slightest way to Loki. If Alice wasn’t looking, she might have missed the gesture.

“It is time, Loki.” Volstagg said. “Odin demands your return to Asgard, immediately.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary:  
> Alice has a breakdown in the shower after finding out about her powers. Loki joins her in order to comfort her. She realizes that maybe she can learn to live without them, because she's still alive and Loki clearly still loves her. After making love, her and Loki lock themselves away in Alice's room for over a week. When they come out finally, Alice explains to the team what happened to her, but at the end, the sentiment is interrupted by the bifrost appearing. Fandral and Volstagg arrive on Earth and inform Loki that Odin demands his return to Asgard immediately.
> 
> *
> 
> So, I have a question for everyone. Do you guys enjoy smut chapters? Because if so, I'll plan to work more in if possible! If not, then I'll try not to work any more in after this. Let me know what you think!!  
> Also, Odin wants Loki back on Asgard. What do you think is going to happen?


	32. Beckoning the Bifrost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for all the feedback on the last chapter! You know how much I love hearing from you, and each and every comment made me so excited! Thank you so much for reading, comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated. Enjoy this next chapter!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 4147

“What?” All sense of formalities left Loki. He was in total shock. Odin wanted him to return to Asgard? Immediately? No, he wouldn’t go. He couldn’t go. He had just got Alice back. He couldn’t leave her again. 

He had grown comfortable on Midgard. The humans had finally found themselves forgiving Loki. After seeing him fighting side by side with the Avengers, they were beginning to see him as a beacon of redemption and hope. Was he ready to leave that all behind in exchange for the golden royalties of Asgard?

“We should leave you guys to this.” Steve said, motioning for everyone to return inside. This was a private matter, and their presence shouldn’t get in the way of it. 

Everyone filtered back into the tower silently. The armored men watched everyone leave, and once the door closed, Volstagg cleared his throat again.

“You heard us, Loki. Odin wants you home. No objections.” Volstagg said. He began to walk closer to Loki. Loki took a step back, his body fully shielding Alice. He shook his head in disbelief.

“I can’t.” Loki barely whispered. Volstagg stopped in his path, shock written all over his face.

“The Allfather has accepted you again. How are you not rejoicing?” The redhead asked. Loki looked towards the ground. His feet were clad in formal dress shoes. His body was wrapped in a deep gray, almost black, Midgardian suit. He didn’t belong on Asgard anymore.

“Brother, this is fantastic news.” Thor tried to reason with his brother. Loki shook his head and knitted his eyebrows together.

“Thor, I can’t go back to Asgard. Not anymore.” Loki bit his lip. He felt Alice squeezing his arm from behind him. “All my life, I’ve been looking for a purpose, for a place to fit in. I never found that on Asgard. But here, it’s my home, now. These people accept me. Asgard never did.” 

“You don’t want to leave her behind.” Thor whispered. He looked over Loki’s shoulder to see Alice pressed behind him. Her eyes were trained on the back of Loki’s suit. Her lips were parted as she held onto him tightly, as if she was trying to make sure he couldn’t leave again.

“You know I can’t do that.” Loki looked his brother deep in the eyes. He needed him to understand how important Alice was to him and that no one could ever give him a reason to leave her.

“So this is all about a girl then? A little mortal one, none the less.” Alice heard Fandral snicker. She was beginning to dislike the snarky blonde. “Who knew Midgard would have made Loki so soft?”

“Shut your mouth, Fandral. Have you forgotten that I am your prince?” Loki squinted his eyes, lurching forward slightly. Fandral shrugged and shook some hair away from his face.

Loki turned on his heel to look at Alice. She was peering up at him with a stream of emotions in her eyes. Sadness, excitement, confusion, shock. Loki’s hands moved up her arms, slowly and carefully, then let them rest over her shoulders.

“We can stay here, Alice. I don’t need to go anywhere. I’m not leaving you.” Loki promised her. Alice bit her lip and looked down at Loki’s shoes. Fancy, fit for a prince. Alice often forgot that Loki truly was a prince. He wasn’t from her world, and had an entire nine realms that he could rule over. He was royalty. She needed to stop living in this fantasy land that she was in. He couldn’t stay here forever.

“You need to go.” Alice swallowed a lump in her throat. 

“Alice? What are you saying?” Loki placed a hand under her chin, but she didn’t meet his eyes. Her arms were crossed over her chest. Tears were collecting in the corners of her eyes. When Loki tried to wipe them away, Alice turned her head away from him.

“You can’t stay here. Asgard needs you.” Alice took a breath and looked at Loki. “I’m always going to be here. I’ll always wait for you. Odin might not. Take advantage of this.” 

“I can’t leave you behind.” Loki said louder, more desperate now.

“I wouldn’t worry about her.” Fandral said, standing behind Loki now. “Odin demands her presence on Asgard, as well.” Loki dropped his hands from Alice’s body so he could turn around and face Fandral.

“Excuse me?” Loki said. Fandral smirked and pushed past Loki so he could stand directly in front of Alice. She shrunk back but continued to watch him carefully. 

“So you’re Loki’s little pet? Cuter than I imagined.” Fandral chuckled. He took Alice’s hand and pressed a kiss to it. It didn’t feel right, and she much preferred the pressure of Loki’s lips on her hand instead. “My lady, the Allfather requests your presence on Asgard. The Allmother is desperately eager to meet the woman who redeemed his son.”

Alice’s head was swimming. These past few days had been so overwhelming, and now she’s expected to go to another realm? Sure, she would be with Loki, but could she leave everyone and everything she knew behind? She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.

“You can’t expect her to leave her life behind.” Thor said. He placed his hand on Fandral’s shoulder to push him away slightly. Thor wrapped a protective arm around Alice’s shoulder. She felt much more comfort pressed against Thor’s side rather than against Fandral’s. Loki was still standing a few paces away in shock. His hands were idle at his side as he worked over everything going on.

“That is not mine to speculate, my prince. It was a demand of the royal court and I cannot refuse them.” Fandral smiled at his friend. “I’m not you.”

“Alice, what do you want to do?” Thor turned his head down to look at Alice. What did she want to do? She didn’t even know what was happening. Odin wanted Loki to return immediately. Was she expected to just decide right here and now if she wanted to go with him? 

Of course she wanted to be with him. That was everything that she ever wanted. And of course, she wanted Loki to be happy. After what he had been through, it was the least that he deserved. But she wanted to be happy too, and she wasn’t sure how much happiness she could get by leaving everything behind. Loki would protect her, and she knew that, but she wasn’t sure that she was ready for this.

Alice looked up over to Loki who was standing across the deck. His hands were shaking slightly, and she could see the panic all over his face. She wanted nothing more than to run over to him and kiss him. She wanted to help him. 

That’s when it hit her that she needed to go to Asgard. She needed to be there for Loki like he was there for her. For so long, Loki was the one protecting her. He was the one who made sacrifices just for her. He risked being thrown back into the cells just for her. She would do just the same for him. 

Asgard needed Loki. He was a prince and a god that belonged on that realm. Earth had enough protectors, and now that Alice didn’t have her powers, what more could she provide for the planet? Some motivation for Captain America and Iron Man? They had enough of that within each other. If Alice could find a way to help someone, then she would do it. And right now, Loki was the one who needed her help.

“I want to go. I want to be with Loki.” Alice looked at Loki, though she was talking to Thor. Loki looked at Alice with both regret and hope in his eyes. “But only on the condition that I can return to Earth if I should please.”

“Since Midgard is under Asgardian rule, there is no way I can promise the Allfather will allow that.” Volstagg spoke for the first time in a while. “But we will bargain for you.”

“Alice, are you sure?” Loki walked in front of her. Alice placed her hands in Loki’s and nodded. A quiet smile found its way onto Alice’s face.

“I don’t have powers anymore, Loki. I can’t protect anyone, anymore. While everyone is off saving the world, I’ll just be sitting there. Maybe it’s better to escape for a while.” Alice said. She gave him a weak smile. Loki could see the pain in her eyes.

“Odin will not accept a denial to his demand. You don’t have much of a choice to begin with.” Fandral said sarcastically. Loki looked over his shoulder and grimaced. As much as he hated it, Fandral did have a point. If everyone returned to Asgard without Alice, there would be no doubt that he would come back to Midgard and bring her there by force. Loki turned back to Alice and cupped her face. He leaned his forehead against hers and exhaled softly against her skin. Her eyes fluttered closed.

“I promise that the minute we can leave, I will bring you back here. You won’t lose me again.” Loki whispered. Alice nodded against him.

“I trust you.” 

 

**

 

Fandral and Volstagg were clearly getting anxious. They had been on Midgard for far longer than they had anticipated. Fandral was sure Loki would fall to his knees and praise them for coming to his rescue from the dullness of Midgard. And yet, here he was, his eyes teary as he shook hands with his captors.

Alice’s heart was being pulled in two directions. Part of her was ready to pack up everything and leave with Loki. Over a year had passed since they had first met, and they had grown so strong together. Almost two months of being together was all they had. It was short, but so intense. Alice never anticipated things to move so quickly, but she loved every moment of it.

But then, she was regretful. She was useless to the Avengers and that made her spiteful. But, she didn’t want to leave them. These were her friends and her family. Tony was basically her father. Bucky was a brother to her. They were there for her when no one else was. Could she leave that all behind for one person?

Loki promised that she could return to Earth whenever she wanted, but would Odin allow that? From the stories she had heard, he was ruthless and his word was the final word. No one dared to cross him. If he was that brutal to his own sons, Asgardian gods, what would he be like to her, a simple human?

Could she even contact her friends when she went to Asgard? Would she be alone as Loki cruised around with all the ladies and gentleman of the royal court? Would Odin take one look at her, scoff, and kick her off Asgard as he arranged a proper royal companion for Loki? Doubt swelled in her mind, and everything was coming for her too quickly.

But, she agreed. Loki had saved her life, and she knew his own was on the line with Odin. She could return the favor and make sure his father accepted him once more. Then, maybe, just maybe, they could return back to Earth and live peacefully finally. 

“Do you have all your things?” Thor asked Alice as she entered the common room that everyone was in. Fandral and Volstagg were standing like giants in the corner of the room, anxiously awaiting their departure.

“I don’t really have much.” Alice laughed, motioning to a mid-sized bag hanging from her shoulder. In it were just a few toiletries and some spare clothes. Aside from that, she didn’t have much else.

“Then let us embark on our journey!” Thor smiled kindly. 

“You’re coming?” Alice looked into his big blue eyes. Thor nodded with excitement. Relief swelled inside of Alice. At least she had one other person with her.

“Okay, let’s get a move on then.” Volstagg said as he headed for the door. 

“Hold on. Let her say goodbye at least.” Loki snarled. Volstagg held his hands up in defense. Loki turned back around and crossed the room to Alice. “Take your time, my rose.”

Alice went around one by one to say goodbye to everybody. Her and Wanda had just gotten to know each other, but she still gave Alice a big hug. Clint took her into a big hug, shaking her back and forth. Sam tackled her in his arms, pinching her cheeks like he always would. Bruce held her hand tightly in his before pulling her into a Hulk-worthy hug. Natasha held her close and even shed a tear or two, but Alice wouldn’t hold it against her. Peter was fully crying at her departure, begging her to take lots of pictures of Asgard through his tears. Steve held her for a few minutes, kissing her cheek and thanking her. For what, she didn’t know.

When Alice got to Bucky, they both lurched forward. He held her tight against him while hiding his face in her hair. They were family. He didn’t want her to go. He had someone here who understood him and he didn’t want to give that up. Alice gave him a long kiss on the cheek before she moved onto her hardest goodbye.

“Tony.” She said softly as she stood before the dark haired man. Tony held out his hand as if to shake hers. He wasn’t good at this type of emotional stuff.

“See you soon kid.” Tony nodded curtly. Alice looked down at his hand and rolled her eyes. She walked forward and wrapped her arms around his center, like she used to hug her own father. 

“Thank you, Tony. Thank you for everything.” Alice said against his expensive shirt. “You have given me more than I could ever explain. Thank you for saving me from that forest. Thank you for giving me a family. Thank you for giving me Loki.”

“Kid, you’re going to make me cry in front of my employees.” Tony grumbled. She heard Natasha scoff from behind him as Steve chuckled. He wrapped his arms around her and looked down into her green eyes. He watched her grow from a scared, insecure girl into a strong, powerful woman. He was so proud of her.

“Good. Proof that Tony Stark has a heart.” Alice tapped the arc reactor on Tony’s chest before pulling away from him. “I’ll see you soon, Tony.”

“One last thing.” Tony held up a finger. He reached down into his suit pocket and fished out a small box. He popped it open and handed it to Alice. Sitting inside the box was a slick black bracelet. Alice looked up at Tony and tilted her head. 

“Tony? Is this what I think it is?” Alice questioned. Tony nodded and a fond smile washed over his face. He reached forward and clipped the bracelet that contained a new suit in it around her wrist.

“I’ve been working on it for a while. I added in more stealth options and some hidden weapons. God, you sucked at close up combat so you needed it.” Tony smirked. He leaned in closer and whispered in her ear. “If you ever need to spy on your prince over there, just hold up the bracelet and whisper into it that you want it to follow someone. A little droid will pop out and it will follow someone and record everything that happens.” Tony leaned back and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Thank you.” Alice smiled, moving her wrist around to test the feel of the new bracelet. It was a sour reminder of what she once had, but a glimmer of hope that sometime in the future, she could utilize it again.

“Be safe out there.” Tony looked up from Alice to look at Loki. He pointed a finger out at the dark haired god. “And you, I’ll still kill you if you hurt her. That offer still stands.”

“I’m sure it does, Tony.” Loki winked as he reclaimed Alice back into his arms. Her eyes swept over everyone again, unsure of the next time she would see them or if she would ever see them again. With one final goodbye, she let Loki lead her outside into the yard.

As they walked towards the center of the yard, she felt Loki using his seidr beside her. She looked over to see his suit transforming back into his Asgardian armor. Thor’s sweatshirt was also changing back into his own shining armor with the distant sound of thunder in the background.

Once they got to the center of the yard, Loki wrapped both of his arms around Alice. He looked down at her and pressed a kiss to her temple.

“This is going to be a bit intense. Hold onto me tightly and whatever you do, do not let go.” Loki said. There was no room for teasing or joking in his voice. Alice gulped and tightened the strap of her bag across her body. She wrapped her arms around Loki’s neck as tight as she could. Loki looked down and smirked. “I quite like this.”

“As do I.” Alice blushed. Thor cleared his throat as Fandral and Volstagg circled around Loki. Thor held his hammer up and shouted something into the sky. Alice looked up and saw the same rainbow light that flooded the yard only hours ago. She looked through the light to see everyone waving back at them. The light engulfed the group, and suddenly, they were racing through the sky.

It felt like Alice was being projected through the air at a million miles an hour. She could feel the pressure from the massive bursts of energy pressing into her. She gripped onto Loki for dear life as the powerful colors swirled around her. She was fascinated by what was around her. She wanted to reach out and touch the light, but her better judgement kept her arms locked tightly around Loki’s neck.

Then, suddenly, the light was gone. Alice was being led into a dome-shaped room. It was completely made of gold. 

“This is incredible.” Alice gasped as she looked around the room. She heard Loki chuckle against her cheek, and that’s when she realized she was still tangled with him. Alice glanced down to Loki’s lips and leaned in to kiss him. She had barely even pecked him before she heard someone loudly clear their throat. 

Alice snapped her head around to see a tall, beautiful man standing on a raised platform in the center of the room. His hands were grasping what looked to be a sword. He turned his head to look down at Alice, who proceeded to untangle herself from Loki. The man’s eyes were golden and swirling with speckles of light.

“Heimdall, it’s grand to see you again.” Loki said with a kind smile. Despite Alice’s arms no longer wrapped around his neck, his arm remained curled around her waist, holding her tightly against him. 

“My princes, welcome home.” The man, Heimdall, said with a booming voice. Something twisted inside of Alice at the mention of Loki being a prince. Someone regarding him so formally sent waves of realization down her spine, and she still didn’t quite like it. “So this is Alice.”

“You know about me?” Alice’s eyes widened. Heimdall nodded and a playful smile peaked onto his serious face.

“Heimdall can see all the souls in the nine realms at all times. He can see everything they do.” Thor smiled as he walked past Alice and Loki to embrace Heimdall. Alice looked at Loki with wide eyes.

“Please don’t tell me he watched us fuck.” Alice whispered to Loki. Loki burst out laughing and pressed a deep kiss into her forehead.

“I wouldn’t be so concerned about that, my love.” Loki smiled and ran a finger down her cheek. Slowly, his smile faded away. He looked at Alice with seriousness and concern. He knew what all this meant for her. She had left everything behind for him, and Loki wanted to show her that it would be worth it. “I love you.” 

“So this is love, then? Congratulations, my prince.” Heimdall said as he stepped down from his golden platform. His smiling face went stoic as he heard the clambering of armor in the distance. “But I do apologize for this.”

Loki knew it was coming. He didn’t expect to be accepted back into Asgard with gallons of wine and open arms. Loki sighed and turned back to Alice, holding her tightly against him.

“Stay with Thor.” Loki whispered to her. Alice placed her hand on Loki’s chest and tightened her grip on his leather armor.

“Why? What’s going on?” Alice tilted her head. Loki looked down at her hand pressed to his chest and ran his fingers over her, chilling her skin as she always loved.

“Just promise me you will stay with my brother.” Loki looked back into Alice’s eyes and watched as they sparkled.

“What are you talking about? Why can’t I stay with you?” Alice asked. Loki sent her a sad smile as the sound of armor came closer and closer. 

“I must depart from you for a few moments.” Loki bit his lip. “I am terribly sorry.”

“Loki, you can’t go. You can’t leave me here!” Alice gripped his armor with white knuckles. Loki rested his forehead against hers and sighed.

“Thor will protect you. He will let no harm come to you, I can assure you of that, my love. Please, the more I cooperate now, the sooner I can be with you once more.” Loki leaned over and pressed his lips just above Alice’s ear. He uttered his next words so softly, Alice could barely hear them. “I promise you that the moment I can, I will be with you once more. I will take you to bed and show you what it’s like to fuck a prince, a god. I will love you harder than ever before, and you will be so sated with pleasure. I promise you that and more.”

Alice’s lips parted as she took in Loki’s words. Images of making love to Loki in his, presumably giant, bed with the softest sheets she ever imagined sent desiring pooling between her legs. 

The sound of shuffling armor stopped as about twenty guards flooded the golden domed room. Loki growled and shut his eyes. He didn’t want to part from Alice.

“Time to go, Loki.” Fandral said as he walked closer to the dark-haired god. Alice had almost forgotten that he was there, and quite frankly, she wished he wasn’t. Loki turned Alice so she could look at him once more. He cupped her cheeks in his hands and brushed his thumbs over her cheekbones.

“Stay with Thor. I’ll be back with you soon.” Loki swore to her. He leaned down and pressed their lips together urgently. Alice kissed him back, their lips mingling together. Her hands gripped his armor and held him as close to her body as possible. His lips were so sweet and it was fogging up her mind. She wanted everyone to just leave so she could ride him here and now. She wanted him, and she made that clear. Loki felt someone pulling at his shoulders, and suddenly, his lips were released from hers.

“Loki!” Alice called out, trying to grab for him. The guards snapped chains around Loki’s hands and across his body. 

“I love you.” Loki said simply before the guards shoved him out of the dome. Alice tried to run after him but Thor grabbed her arm.

“Let him face Odin. Like he said, the more he cooperates now, the sooner he can, you know, bed you.” Thor blushed. Alice bit her lip as she watched Loki being pushed away from her. Alice turned around to look at Thor. His smile was kind and familiar. He was the only normal thing in this crazy room. Thor’s eyes flickered down to look at Alice’s body, observing her outfit. He smirked and shook his head. “You’re going to stick out like a sore thumb.”

“Now I know how you and Loki felt on Earth.” She joked, but her mind was elsewhere. Thor wrapped an arm around her. Her mind was floating down the rainbow bridge with Loki. It was wrapped in chains with him. Loki and the guards may have been a distant memory now as their figures were completely out of sight. Out of sight, but never out of mind.

“Come, let’s get you into some proper Asgardian clothing.” Thor said, pulling Alice in closer to his body. “Besides, there’s someone I want you to meet.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO ASGARD!! It looks like our story is taking a shift of setting. What do you think is going to happen to Loki? Who do you think Thor is taking Alice to see? Let me know what you think!!


	33. Pain and Punishment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated! Thank you as always for reading, and enjoy!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 5159

Asgard was absolutely breathtaking. The sun was just barely rising over the city’s horizon, and stars still speckled the sky. The city was lined with gold and life. People buzzed around the market areas, eyeing up Thor and the mysterious girl he was with. Whispers of Thor being romantically involved with a mortal filled the air. Whenever Alice and Thor heard any of these whispers, they would turn to each other and scoff. 

Alice kept her eyes down as Thor led her through groups of Asgardians. They were all dressed in beautiful robes and dresses. Alice stood out among them so drastically, it was like she was holding up a flashing sign that said “Look at me! I’m different!”. She was hoping that the palace that Thor was bringing her to would be close. Her jeans and leather jacket suddenly felt like a million pounds on her.

Thor had told her they were taking a shortcut through the main market to reach the palace. Alice could see it from where they entered Asgard, but it was getting much bigger up close. Tall, wide, beautiful, and golden. Tony’s entire tower suddenly looked like a one-bedroom apartment.

As the pair walked through the crowds that were beginning to form around them, Alice noticed Thor’s arm tightening around her. No wonder everyone was assuming they were together, they looked like a proper couple. But, as much as Alice loved Thor, he wasn’t the one she wanted to be with right now. Her mind was circling, constantly thinking about the dark prince she was in love with. She remembered how he looked when the guards shackled him in chains. His face was broken. Did he think he would never see her again? Was he sure that Odin would punish him on Asgard? Alice could only guess.

The palace was only a few blocks away, and the presence of guards was getting heavier. Palace workers were gathering. They all looked flustered at the sight of Thor. That’s when Alice remembered that he was the golden prince here, and much preferred over his younger brother. Her presence next to him surely frightened them. Did they believe that they had lost their chance to court Thor because they saw his arm wrapped around Alice? She laughed internally, if only they knew. 

“So is it true? Is Loki actually back?” One of the maids asked to her friend as Alice and Thor walked past them. Alice turned her head slightly, hoping to hear what else was said.

“Yes, it is. He was paraded to the palace in chains.” The maid’s friend quieted her voice. “Rumor is that’s his whore. I’m not so sure why she’s with Thor, though. Maybe she’s fooling around with both princes.”

Alice stopped dead in her tracks. Thor must have heard it too. He looked down at Alice with a sorry smile, then turned towards the maids. They both blushed as he approached them. He towered over them with a wickedly kind smile on his face.

“Helena, Grace, pleasure to see you.” Thor kissed their hands, sending the ladies into a fit of giggles. Alice rolled her eyes. “As much as I am pleased to see you again, I would ask you to refrain from calling my brother’s lover as his whore. They are perfectly committed to each other, and I ask you to respect that.”

The women were shocked and embarrassed that Thor had overheard them. He’s a god, of course he would. They nodded and quickly shuffled away. Thor smirked and turned towards Alice, taking her waist in his arm, and continued to guide her to the palace.

“Maybe it’s a good thing Loki isn’t here. He would’ve literally killed them.” Alice chuckled. Thor laughed as they approached the doors of the palace. The guards opened the doors of the castle for the couple, staying completely silent as they shuffled in.

“I had to have some restraint myself, dear Alice.” Thor smiled down at her. Alice’s cheeks warmed as she leaned into Thor. Through all this chaos, he felt like a stable beacon of hope. Despite him being from Asgard, Alice found herself associating him more with Earth. He was, for the most part, always there. Seeing his smile reminded her of all the times that they would train together, and Thor would be so proud of how Alice had gained more power and confidence in herself with every new fight. She desired that stability desperately right now.

“Could you please get me a new set of clothes? I feel like a street rat compared to everyone.” Alice muttered as more palace workers passed by them. The women would stare at her garments, then whispered to each other as they passed. The men would smirk at Thor, wink, and walk away with their, presumably, inappropriate thoughts.

“Worry not. We’re going to see a friend of mine who will provide you with just what you need.” Thor said casually. Alice’s feet were burning from all this walking. Couldn’t her magical Asgardian closet just appear in front of her? It would make things much easier.

The interior of the palace was just as stunning as the exterior. It was full of gold and marble. Silver details lined the marble columns that held up the tall ceilings. Paintings and sculptures decorated the walls and floor. Tony would have a heart attack if he was here, Alice was positive of that. Steve would have adored all this artwork, and would even try to sketch the details in his journal. Every corner that the pair turned was like a surprise. How much gold would there be? What would the mural on the ceiling show?

It was no wonder that the princes felt abnormal on Earth sometimes. Tony’s building was exceptionally lavish and advanced, but this place was simply massive and over the top. No wonder Loki looked so unimpressed by everything Alice tried to show him after Tony released him from his cell. He was comparing it to what he had here. 

Alice could picture Loki walking these halls. She imagined how lonely they felt if no one else was there. She could never imagine herself trying to navigate these halls alone. The large windows seemed too brooding and the click-clack of boots on the marble floors would have been intimidating. She could picture Loki, walking with his nose in a book, evading the tragedies of being alone. Her heart ached to see him again.

What was happening to him? Was he being praised for his goodness to humanity? Was Odin subjecting him to life in the Asgardian prisons? Was Odin scoffing, because Tony was too easy on his wicked son? Was he being set free? Was he being criticized for courting a human? These questions swirled in Alice’s head so heavily that it made her dizzy. She was afraid she would pass out of she didn’t get to sit soon.

The pair walked another five minutes before reaching a silver door. Thor turned to Alice and rubbed the small of her back with his large hand. With the other hand, he knocked on the door three times.

“Nervous?” Thor asked. Alice swallowed and nodded. She pushed some hair behind her ear and fiddled with her hands.

“Terrified.” Alice admitted. “This is all so weird to me.” Alice gestured to the hall they were standing in. Thor chuckled and nodded.

“It is quite extraordinary, but yes, weird too, I suppose.” Thor shrugged. He looked at the silver door and knocked on it again.

“Places like this only exist in stories.” Alice mumbled. The silver door swung open to reveal the most beautiful woman Alice had ever seen. She had thick, long, black hair cascading over her shoulders. Her eyes were wide and bright and her lips were pink and full. Her body was covered in silver and red armor. 

“Couldn’t wait for me to step out of the bathroom, Thor?” The woman said in an angelic voice. Thor smirked and patted her on the shoulder.

“My apologies, Lady Sif. May we come in?” Thor asked. Sif raised an eyebrow before noticing Alice standing behind him. She tilted her head as she looked Alice up and down.

“A Midgardian? Interesting. Alright, in you come.” Sif stepped out of the doorway so Thor and Alice could enter her room. The room was giant, that was the only word to describe it. Beautiful, elegant, intimidating, but giant. 

“Lady Sif, this is my friend Alice. She is Loki’s lover.” Thor gestured to Alice. She noticed the raise in Sif’s eyebrows. “Alice, this is Lady Sif, the fiercest warrior in all the nine realms.”

“Pleasure to meet you.” Sif nodded at Alice with a gentle smile. Alice smiled at Sif’s genuine kindness. It was not at all what she expected from a fierce woman clad in armor. 

“Likewise, Lady Sif.” Alice bowed before her, unsure of whether or not the gesture was appropriate. It was better to be safe than sorry. Sif giggled and forced Alice to stand up straight.

“None of that. And just call me Sif.” Sif smiled. “So Loki found a lover in prison? Lovely. Tell me then, why are you here?”

“Odin asked Loki to return to Asgard.” Thor summarized. Sif’s eyebrows shot up so high that Alice was positive they could have gotten caught in her hairline. 

“You cannot be serious.” Sif gasped. “Already? But he was supposed to serve a lifetime on Midgard!”

“Well, that’s why Alice is here.” Thor pointed at Alice. “She kind of redeemed him.”

“How is that possible?” Sif asked in disbelief. Alice bit her lip, then told her their entire story. Starting with her being found in the forest by Thor and Tony to when Fandral and Volstagg showed up, Alice explained every bit. Sif watched her intensely, as if she needed to absorb every word she was saying in order to understand it all. Despite Thor hearing this story before, and literally living through it, he listened closely to Alice, trying to comprehend the entire situation.

“And then, the guards put him in chains and took him off. I don’t know where he is or when I’ll see him again.” Alice held back the tears that were threatening to drip down her cheeks. She missed Loki fiercely. It seemed that every time they were at peace together, something had to happen. All she wanted was to lay in bed with him and hold him again.

“Well, the Allfather will not go easy on him, but I don’t imagine him sending him back to prison. He’s done nothing wrong. Odin just likes to hold grudges.” Sif crossed her arms across her body. Even when she was relaxed, Alice couldn’t help but admire how powerful she looked.

“But he was serving the people of Earth. Wouldn’t it be better for him to just stay there and protect them?” Alice raised an eyebrow. Thor sighed and shook his head, regret immediately wiping over his beautiful features.

“I think Odin would have allowed that if it wasn’t for the trick Loki pulled.” Thor looked at Sif. “Loki managed to keep the real tesseract in his possession without Odin’s knowledge.”

“He what?” Sif gasped. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head. Alice looked between the two Asgardians.

“What’s so wrong about that?” Alice asked. Sif flicked her eyes between Thor and Alice, sensing that Alice didn’t know the full extent of Loki’s punishment. She lifted her hand to gesture at Thor, insisting he take the lead.

“Loki was supposed to return the tesseract after he was captured in New York. We thought he did, until he whipped it out when you were at the Organization.” Thor paused, taking in a deep breath of air. “Loki slipped Odin a fake tesseract, apparently, and held onto the real one, thus breaking one of the major rules of his punishment.”

“What does that mean?” Alice whispered. Her voice was cracking with every word that slipped out.

“Loki might serve out the rest of his punishment under Odin’s direct watch.” Thor said slowly. His piercing blue eyes focused on Alice, wishing that he could fix everything for his brother and his friend. “He may never be allowed to leave Asgard.” 

“That’s not fair!” Alice yelled. “He never used it for harm! He only used it to save me! If he didn’t have that fucking thing, then I would be trying to kill all of you now!”

“Wait, kill Thor? That’s impossible for a mortal.” Sif questioned, her head turning towards her prince. Thor smirked and cracked his knuckles, remembering all the times that Alice bested him during their training.

“Not this one. She’s got powers, and they are marvelous.” Thor said proudly. Alice’s shoulders sank at the mention of what she could once do.

“Had powers, actually. Not anymore.” Alice sighed. “But that’s beside the point. Loki can’t go to prison! He’s done nothing wrong!”

“We will do what we can, but it’s hard to imagine Odin listening to you.” Sif said carefully. She looked Alice up and down, taking in her appearance. She was short and lean. She had a strong body, Sif could tell, but Odin would view her stature as pathetic. He would never listen to her. Sif turned her head to look at Thor. “Maybe it is in Loki’s best interest that you go to Odin and bargain for him.”

“Sif, I cannot leave her side. I promised Loki that I would stay with her.” Thor stepped forward. He wrapped a protective arm around Alice as he stared at his warrior friend. She looked between the two and smiled cheekily.

“Do you imagine that I, of all people, would let any harm come to her?” Sif winked. “We’re just going to play dress up.”

“Would you feel comfortable with this?” Thor asked Alice, his tone was hushed. Alice pursed her lips and considered her options. She didn’t want Thor to leave her. Although fascinated by Sif, Alice was intimidated by her. She’d be happier if Thor just stayed here with her, but, she knew Thor leaving would be better in the long run. He could reason with Odin more than anyone. He could bargain for Loki.

“Yes. I’ll stay here with Sif. You go look after your baby brother.” Alice slipped out from under Thor’s arm so she could face him. Her tiny smile shrunk, leaving her face hard and determined. “Bring him back to me.”

Thor lifted up Alice’s hand. Gently, he placed a kiss to the backs of her fingers. His lips were warm, unlike Loki’s, but they didn’t feel right. She missed the chilling sensation of Loki’s pale, thin lips on the back of her hand.

“I will do everything in my power to do so, my friend.” Thor let Alice’s hand fall as he turned to Sif. “Protect her, I beg you.”

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t you remember who I am? Now go and get her prince back.” Sif smiled. Thor winked at her and slipped through the silver door, leaving the two women waiting in silence.

 

**

 

The palace was colder than Loki remembered. 

He remembered the structure being full of life and activity. Maids would shuffle through the hall gossiping. Royal courts from other realms would feast during every waking hour of the day. Guards would joke boastfully about some war from centuries ago. Despite how much Loki would deny it, the palace used to be quite the hub for activity and comradery.

Today, however, these halls just felt cold. All the halls leading to the throne room were lined with guards. They stood with hard faces hidden behind helmets and stoic postures. They stood straight and looked dead ahead as Loki was led down the gaudy corridors.

When Loki and his herding group finally reached the throne room, one guard tugged on his chains. Loki shot the man a look that could kill, but kept his lips sealed. He knew better than to let his anger get the best of him when he had come so far.

“Stay quiet unless you’re spoken to. Don’t make this worse for yourself.” The guard squinted at Loki. Loki simply smirked.

“Is that any way to speak to your prince?” Loki leaned forward slightly. The guard scoffed, tugged on his chains, and muttered some curse. Loki would be lying if he said he didn’t miss Stark and his treatment right now.

When the massive, golden doors to the throne room swung open, Loki noticed even more guards. These ones however, had larger spears held at their sides. Loki chuckled to himself. What a grand entrance. They crossed the throne room slowly, each footstep making an audible echo through the room. The entire time they shuffled forward, Loki never took his eyes off the man sitting on the throne.

Odin.

He still looked old and worn. Well, less worn than years ago. Maybe that was due to Loki’s absence and the stress it alleviated from Odin’s mind. He was leaning forward in his massive throne, his right hand grasping his golden staff. His face was devoid of emotion. Typical.

When the guards made Loki stop, he looked to both sides and smiled. Chuckling, he turned back to Odin.

“All this for me? So grand. How kind of you.” Loki said sarcastically. The guard who had warned him about speaking before pressed a spear to Loki’s side, threatening to impale him. Loki simply smiled.

“My son, you have returned.” Odin tilted his head, genuinely surprised that Loki actually listened to him. 

“Well, I didn’t have much of a choice.” Loki snickered. He could feel the guard growing irritated beside him. Loki could not care less.

“Welcome home.” Odin sat back slightly. Loki rolled his eyes.

“This place is no home to me. Midgard has showed me more kindness in such a short amount of time, more so than you ever have.” Loki hissed. Odin sighed and shuffled in his throne a bit.

“Loki calling Midgard his home. What a thought.” Odin chuckled. “Is this because of your pet girl?”

“Speak nothing of her.” Loki lurched forward. The chains that held him tightened as the guards gripped them to hold him back. Odin lifted an eyebrow at the sight.

“Protective of her? I am intrigued.” Odin hummed. Loki rolled his eyes and straightened his back. 

“I am. Now, may we please speed this up so I can return to her side again.” Loki growled. “Your demand of her presence on Asgard has caused her significant levels of stress and pain and I would very much like to amend that.”

“Your care for her, and the Midgardians in general, is the reason you are here, Loki.” Odin said simply. “I am proud of you.”

Loki took a step back. The chains clinked around him as he moved. His eyes were wide at Odin’s words. Odin was…proud of him? Loki could count on one hand how many times Odin said to him. If he was to do so, only one finger would be up, and that would be because of this moment right here.

“You’re proud of me?” Loki asked, still in disbelief. Odin nodded curtly. 

“You willingly put your life on the line to protect Midgard. I saw you rescue your pet girl from danger several times. You have successfully gained Midgard’s trust.” Odin stood slowly. “But that does not mean you are forgiven.”

“Of course not. Why would you feel inclined to treat me kindly for once?” Loki said sarcastically. Odin let the comment pass as he waved off the aggression of the guards.

“The Midgardians did not do a good enough job at punishing you. They were not careful. You possessed the tesseract when you swore to return it to Asgard. That is a crime I cannot forgive you for.” Odin stepped forward, his heavy feet clambering on the ground. Loki heard the throne room door swing open, as he saw Odin’s eyes raise. His face became lighter.

“He is innocent.” Loki heard Thor say from behind him. Loki’s lips parted as Thor walked around to Loki’s side. He placed a hand on Loki’s shoulder and nodded with a small smile. “Brother.”

“Where is Alice?” Loki asked with wide eyes. Panic surged through Loki’s veins. Where was she? Was she okay? Why would Thor leave her? All these questions with no answers made him even more anxious to get back to her. “You swore to stay with her.”

“She is okay, I promise. She’s with Sif.” Thor said. Loki looked down at the ground with remorse. He trusted Sif, and of course he trusted Thor, but he should be the one with her right now. Thor looked back up to Odin with a firm look on his hard face. “Father, Loki is innocent.”

“What say you?” Odin asked Thor. Thor walked forward and stared up at Odin with his intense blue eyes. After everything he saw Loki go through on Midgard to redeem himself, he refused to let his brother fall into the clutches of punishment again. 

“Yes, Loki obtained the real tesseract, but did you not see why he used it?” Thor gestured to Loki. 

“The power of the tesseract is too grand, and neither I nor Heimdall can see the actions of the user.” Odin explained. Thor looked down at his feet and laughed.

“Loki had possession of the tesseract since he was in those cells. Not once did he use it. The only time he brought it out was to save Alice and 300 young children from the clutches of danger.” Thor stepped forward and placed his hands over his own chest. “Father, I give you my word. I give it to you on my life.”

Odin paused and looked down from the throne’s pedestal. He looked between his two sons. Always fighting, and never calm. The dark prince who wanted power, and the golden prince who wanted peace. In this moment, they had come together as one. They were working together. 

“He still must be punished.” Odin said simply. Loki sighed and pursed his lips. He saw that one coming from a realm away.

“If that is what must occur then make his punishment gentle, Father.” Thor reasoned. “He has changed. Loki is a kind, protective man. He worked for months with the Avengers, and never killed unless necessary. If you find those killings punishable then I am to be thrown in the cells, as well. Father, I trust him.”

“You can say with your full heart that you trust the man standing beside you?” Odin asked. Thor turned to his brother, looked him directly in the eyes, and nodded.

“My trust for you used to falter, Loki. It used to not exist at all. But you’ve changed that. I would put my life in your hands and trust you to care for it.” Thor said, his words more for Loki than for Odin. Loki swallowed a lump in his throat and nodded slightly.

“Thank you, brother.” Loki whispered. Thor turned back to Odin and waited. Odin sat back down on the throne, his fingers running up and down the staff beside him. He was in deep contemplation.

“Tell me about your pet girl.” Odin demanded. Loki held back another urge to attack the old man at calling her that.

“Her name is Alice.” Loki began. “She worked with me and the Avengers. She is the most powerful and fantastic woman in all of the nine realms. She is my truest love.” 

Odin glanced over to Thor as if he needed his other son to validate this. “Is this true? Is she not a whore?”

“She is incredible, Father. Alice loves Loki unconditionally and has been the reason he wanted to better himself.” Thor gestured towards Loki. “I have seen their love firsthand, and I can assure you that it is real.”

“You would spend your life with her?” Odin turned his eye back to Loki and asked. Loki nodded as he took a step forward, the chains clinking around his ankles at the movement.

“I would.” 

“And would she spend her life, though it be short and meager, with you?” Odin asked. Loki took a deep breath and calmed himself once again.

“She would.” 

“And would you two do anything in your power to be with each other and protect each other, no matter the cost?” Odin asked finally. Loki swallowed the lump in his throat as he thought about her. His heart skipped a beat just at the image of her face in his mind.

“Absolutely.”

Odin paused, and thought once more. Every second he was silent killed Loki inside. He just wanted to get this over with and leave. He wanted to be with Alice once again. He wanted to bring them back to Midgard and make love to her under the stars again. Asgard was not his home anymore, and it certainly wasn’t hers.

“Loki Odinson, you are free to be with the girl. You are free to roam Asgard with her, and even to take her as your wife if it comes to that.” Odin stopped. A smirk lingered on his wrinkled face. “But you two are never to leave Asgard.”

“I beg your pardon?” Loki gasped.

“You may keep the girl but under my conditions and under my watch. That is your punishment.” Odin leaned back. Thor stepped forward.

“Father, she is of Midgard. She has friends and a home back there.” Thor tried to explain. “How can Loki protect Midgard if he is stuck in Asgard?”

“Midgard has enough advanced mortals to protect itself, at this point.” Odin shrugged. Thor groaned and turned to Loki. Loki could see the anger and pain in Thor’s normally peaceful eyes. He glanced his own eyes back at Odin, feeling his face go hard.

“And if I refuse?” Loki asked. Odin smirked and ran a hand down his thigh as the other tightened his grip on his almighty staff.

“She will be dead before you have the chance to run.” Odin said casually, as if he wasn’t talking about murdering an innocent girl. “If you step one foot out of line, she is dead. If you try to sneak her back home, she is dead. Anything you do that goes against me in the slightest will kill her. And if she tries to escape, then she clearly does not love you, and has paid the price of death for your lies.”

“This sounds like more of a punishment for her than me.” Loki hissed. Odin simply chuckled and ran a hand through his beard.

“Be happy, Loki. Your alternative punishment was her immediate death for your actions of withholding the tesseract.” Odin moved his staff into his other hand. He could see Loki getting angrier at the realization of what he had just said. Loki now knew that the true reason Odin made Alice come to Asgard was to kill her right before Loki’s eyes. “Now go, you must get prepared. There will be a feast for your return home.”

“And what of Alice? Or shall I say your newest prisoner?” Loki asked as the guards began to lead him away. Odin smiled a sinister grin. 

“She will attend of course. And her existence here is not a prisoner. She’s living in a palace with luxury around every corner. But you must be very careful, Loki. Your actions continue to determine her fate.” Odin waved his hand, signaling he was done with the conversation. The guards turned Loki towards the door as Thor ran to catch up with him.

“Brother, we will make this right.” Thor said through the guards. Loki smiled and shook his head, defeat all over his face.

“I will not see her before the feast, I feel.” Loki gestured to his hands still in chains. “Apologize to her for me. Explain everything. Tell her I love her.” Loki said with a sad smile on his face. He turned forward and allowed the guards to lead him away.

Thor stood in their wake, staring at the golden door. He turned his head to look over his shoulder, watching where Odin was still sitting on his golden throne. Thor turned his nose up. He was truly beginning to hate that throne and all the drama it brought.

“You would really murder an innocent girl for wanting to be reunited with her home?” Thor whispered. 

“If that is what it takes, then yes.” Odin waved his hand. Thor scoffed and ran a hand through his blonde hair. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“How dare you dangle her life in front of Loki to keep him in line. He was fine on Midgard without this manipulation!” Thor burst out. “You will make her suffer for no reason! Yes, Loki kept the tesseract, but he used it only to help us! Send them back to Midgard! Loki is a friend to the Midgardians now, I have seen it!”

“It was an act. He wants power. He always has, Thor. Yes, he may have used the tesseract to assist Midgard, but he initially kept it for a reason. What do you think that reason is? Power. What else could it be?” Odin sighed. “But, his affections seem true. So he must choose between her life or his own interests.”

“And when you see that he has no care for power but only for her?” Thor spat out. Odin rolled his eye and gripped his staff tighter.

“Such will never be true for a man like him. He will show his true colors, and when he inevitably does, she will be his sacrifice.” Odin shrugged. Thor laughed sarcastically and Odin could hear the faint sound of thunder rumbling in the background. Clearly, his eldest son was full of anger.

“Why must she suffer, Father? She has done nothing but help Midgard and your son.” Thor paused, his chest heaving. He looked down at the ground under his thick boots with a sad smile. “She is my friend.”

“She chose to be with Loki. She knows what he truly desires. She will pay the price for it if, and when, he should fall out of line.” Odin said in the same hushed tone. Thor looked up, his eyes wild with anger.

“It is love, they have, Father! She is the reason your son is home, right now!” Thor yelled. Odin did not move a single muscle at his son’s outburst. He stayed silent as Thor calmed himself down.

“It is my ruling, my son.” Odin answered simply. Thor shook his head and laughed a wicked laugh, full of anger and sarcasm. He let his face fall stern before he looked back up at Odin with hard eyes.

“You are a cruel king, and an even crueler father.” Thor said softly. He turned on his heel and exited the throne room, leaving behind a very shocked and defeated Odin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So to summarize Odin's punishment of Loki, he thinks that Loki is still power hungry, hence why he kept the tesseract. However, he can tell that Loki does care for Alice, so instead of killing Alice right away, he's decided to make her life dependable on Loki's actions. This is a way of keeping Loki in line, but costing Alice her freedom. 
> 
> What do you think is going to happen? How will Alice react to hearing she can't go back to Earth? Let me know!


	34. Wallflower

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I hope you guys enjoy this next chapter! Comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated, and thank you again for reading!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 4746

Sif reminded Alice a lot of Natasha. She was fierce and intimidating, but behind closed doors, she was gentle and kind. The way her hair rolled over her shoulders and the pinkness in her cheeks was quite stunning. She had changed out of her armor into a more casual set of Asgardian robes, making her look soft and welcoming.

Sif walked over to Alice and placed a teacup in her hands. A maid had rolled in a large cart full of tea, scones, and other snacks upon Thor’s request. Alice was eager for some food and something to drink, so the warmth of the glass felt refreshing on her shaking fingers and helped them relax. Sif took a sip from her own cup as she sat across from Alice on the opposite end of her couch.

“Is he kind to you?” Sif asked, the orange from the tea reflecting onto her face. Alice knew she was talking about Loki. Who else would she mean?

“Only always. At first, however, he was a bit snappy towards me, but that was before he learned he could trust me. He was just very guarded and didn’t want to let anyone into his mind, but then he let me see his true self. Ever since then, he’s never been rude or harsh with me. He’s like a different person from the stories I’ve heard.” Alice admitted. She sipped the tea in the cup. Its taste was extremely sweet yet refreshing. She took another sip eagerly.

“So he is your formal lover then?” Sif smiled. Alice giggled and nodded, her cheeks rosy from just thinking about Loki.

“Yes, he is. For about two months now, but we were crushing on each other long before that.” Alice blushed even harder. She hid behind her tea cup in hopes of concealing the redness in her face.

“Then why are you not wearing his colors?” Sif asked. She was genuinely puzzled. Alice looked down at herself. Dark jeans, tall brown boots, a white v-neck, and a brown leather jacket. 

“What do you mean?” Alice looked back up at Sif suddenly feeling even more out of place. Sif brushed some of her black hair away and motioned at Alice.

“On Asgard, the formal lover of one of the princes typically wears his colors. Red for Thor, green for Loki.” Sif explained. “Why are you not wearing green for him?”

“We don’t do that on Earth. He’s never asked me to, either.” Alice blushed. She was embarrassed more than she would let on. There was yet another reason for her to feel left out on this foreign realm. “Do you have any green garments I can wear?”

“Oh, of course not.” Sif laughed. “I’m a warrior without any intention to court Loki. I don’t own any green. But don’t worry, I sent the maid to contact the dressmaker. Your robes should be ready soon.”

“How is that possible? They don’t even know my size!” Alice laughed in disbelief. Sif placed her cup down and shook more of her falling hair out of her face.

“The dressmaker just…knows. She has this ability to know someone’s size and height just from hearing their name.” Sif explained. Alice placed down her now empty teacup and reached for a biscuit from the tray in front of them.

“So does everyone have magic, then?” Alice asked as she bit into the biscuit. It was one of the most delicious things she had ever eaten. She needed to bring some back for Peter. His sweet tooth would love them.

“Not everyone. A lot of people know a few spells that were passed down to them from their parents.” Sif waved her hand around as she talked. 

“Do you know any spells?” Alice smiled. Sif’s smile left her face, however, and a grimace took its place. The strong warrior suddenly looked so weak. She stared down at her hands and bit her lip. She took in a deep breath of air and let her stiff shoulders relax.

“I only know one. All of us warriors must learn it.” Sif didn’t look at Alice. She was too focused playing with her intertwining hands. 

“What is it? I mean, if you don’t mind me asking.” Alice asked softly as she pulled herself closer to Sif. The warrior looked up through her thick, black eyelashes. Her eyes looked haunted as she grew paler. 

“It’s a spell that only the warriors know, because we are the only ones trusted to learn it.” Sif said slowly. “It’s an exchange of life spell. If one of the members of the royal family dies in combat, we have the power to bring them back to life within a certain amount of time.”

“That’s amazing.” Alice said with wide eyes. Sif tilted her head up and shook it, letting her hair twirl around her slightly.

“We can only do it once. The exchange for bringing them back is sacrificing ourselves.” Sif said softly. “For example, if Thor was to get killed, I would say a spell over his body. As the life drained from me, it would pour into him. It’s the ultimate sacrifice a warrior can make.”

“Do you fear you’ll need to use it?” Alice asked. Sif nodded but laughed under hear breath.

“I don’t fear death, and I would die for Asgard any day. I just fear the idea of needing to use it, because that means one of them was murdered.” Sif explained. Alice nodded, taking in her every word. Sif had the power to resurrect Loki and Thor in exchange for her own life. It was magnificent, but completely terrifying.

The door to Sif’s room swung open and Thor barged in unannounced. Sif wiped the tears from her eyes and stood. She crossed her arms over her chest and straightened her back. The kind, gentle soul was back to being tough and intimidating.

“You were lucky we weren’t naked.” Sif winked. Thor actually blushed before walking towards the two women. 

“My friend, Odin has given his decision on Loki’s fate.” Thor said to Alice and Alice only. She stood and placed her hands on Thor’s arms, holding him tightly as the anxiety coursed through her veins.

“What happened?” She managed to squeak out through her nerves. Thor moved his arms so he could place his hands on Alice’s cheeks. His hands were hot pressed against her skin.

“Loki will not be sent to prison. He has been accepted back into Asgard.” Thor said. Alice yelped and lurched forward to hug Thor. She pressed her cheek against the metal of his breastplate. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Thor, however, didn’t seem too pleased. He pushed Alice away from his slowly and gave her a dark look. “That is not all.”

“What?” Alice’s smile fell at the look at Thor’s face. Thor sighed and dropped his hands to his side.

“Loki stole the tesseract, which violates the law set for him. Because of this, Loki is required to stay on Asgard. He cannot leave, and neither can you.” Thor said slowly, looking into Alice’s eyes with every word. 

“That doesn’t make any sense. Why me?” Alice leaned forward. Thor shook his head and moved past her so he could sit on Sif’s couch. He held his head in his hands, stress clearly written all over his face.

“Odin believes Loki is still hungry for power, hence why he kept the tesseract. He is convinced that Loki will try to steal the throne once again.” Thor scoffed. “But he knows how much Loki cares about you, so he’s dangling you over Loki’s head. If he steps out of line or if he breaks any rules that Odin has sent, he’ll kill you and only you as an even greater punishment for Loki. If Loki wants you to live, then you’re forced to live here under Odin’s watch.”

“Odin can suck my dick!” Alice yelled. Sif choked out a laugh. Even Thor’s lips turned up into a partial grin. “This is ridiculous! Loki used the tesseract to save me!”

“It’s not what he used it for, it’s just that he used it in the first place.” Thor explained with a wave of his hand. 

“So, I’m never going back to Earth, pretty much.” Alice sighed. Thor pressed his lips into a thin line.

“I’m afraid not.” He stood again and pulled Alice into a hug. She felt tears stinging her eyes. She couldn’t care less, so she let them fall. She let her stress and pain fall with her tears. She let everything that hurt her slide down her cheeks. 

Was Loki worth it? Of course he was, Alice wouldn’t dare think twice about him. But this whole thing was overwhelming. Alice was on a foreign planet without her powers, her boyfriend was currently in chains, she was speaking with what technically could be aliens (very beautiful aliens), and she had no way of contacting or returning back home. So, Alice was overwhelmed.

But, there was nothing she could do. She couldn’t try to escape back home. She would be killed instantly, and Loki would be broken. If she was to die, then Loki would go on a rampage. He would let anger fill his heart again and he would never be the same. She couldn’t do that to him.

It’s possible that this wouldn’t be so bad. She wasn’t a prisoner here. Sif mentioned that Alice would be getting her own quarters. She had clothing, a bed, and plenty of delicious food. She had companionship in Thor and Loki, and as she was learning, in Sif as well. Loki had said Frigga was the kindest soul he had ever known, so maybe she could help Alice out, as well. 

Alice sucked in her tears and pulled away from Thor. She used the backs of her hands to wipe her eyes and clear her salty stained cheeks. She fixed her hair and smiled up at the golden-haired man.

“If this is where I’m meant to be, then so be it.” She tried to say with as much confidence as possible. Thor could easily see her struggling to smile. “Besides, living in a palace can’t be that bad.”

“You will learn to divulge in its luxuries.” Sif smiled from beside them. It was the first time she spoke in minutes, and Alice had almost forgotten she was there.

“Will you tell everyone back home the news? I don’t want them sitting around worried that we haven’t returned.” Alice asked Thor. Her friend nodded and pushed some of her hair behind her ear. He was always so gentle with her.

“You have my word, good friend.” Thor winked at Alice. She leaned in and hugged him once again. She needed some genuine physical contact after her exhausting day. Thor pulled back and headed towards the door. He looked back at the girls with a gleaming smile. “Now, you two must prepare!”

“Why is that?” Sif asked before Alice could. There was something playful in Thor’s eyes as he spoke his next words.

“In celebration of Loki’s return to Asgard, Odin is throwing a feast. Wear your finest garments.” Thor winked again before leaving the room. Sif groaned and turned to Alice.

“Your first night here and you’re already experiencing a feast. Good luck.” Sif smirked. “I’ll call in some help to prepare you.”

“Oh, no. It’s fine. I can ready myself.” Alice said with a shrug of her shoulders. Sif wagged a finger at her in denial and laughed whole-heartedly.

“Alice, you simply cannot. You are preparing to stand in front of all of Asgard and be announced as Loki’s formal lover. You deserve some proper treatment.” Sif left no room for any “ifs ands or buts”. “Now, stay here for just a few moments. I’m going to call in for the finest dressers in Asgard!”

Sif quickly made her way out of the room, leaving Alice alone for the first time. Alice sighed and looked around, wishing she could just see Loki. She wanted to make sure he was okay, but she had no idea where he was and she didn’t want to risk getting him in trouble.

Then, the idea popped into Alice’s head. She looked at her wrist, still covered in her new wrist band with her suit in it. Tony told her that she could find someone using the little drone in it, so she hoped she didn’t look stupid doing what she was about to do. She lifted her wrist up to her mouth and whispered into the side of it.

“Uhh…how does this thing work? Follow Loki?” Alice said with clear confusion in her voice. Suddenly, a little black bud popped out of the side of the side of the band. It was no bigger than the size of a fly as it hovered in the air. It beeped once, then zoomed out of the room through the crack under Sif’s door. As the drone left, a projection screen appeared above the top of the band. It flickered once before a camera came into view. She could see everything the drone was seeing.

It zoomed through the hallways, showing Alice the wide hallways it traveled through. Alice was hoping with every fiber of her being that it would work and that she would be able to see Loki. With a few more dips and turns, the drone slowed down and hovered its way into a room guarded by four soldiers. Luckily for Alice, none of them noticed her little device. The drone slipped under the door and hovered to where Loki was sitting. 

“Loki.” Alice whispered, but she already knew Loki wouldn’t be able to hear her. The drone slowly crept around Loki and landed to his side. There he sat with his head in his hands. He rubbed his hands down his face and sat back. From what she could see, his eyes were puffy and red. 

It broke Alice’s heart to see that Loki had been crying. He was always so strong around her. He must have felt so guilty about this whole situation. He no longer wore his shackles, but Alice could tell that he still felt chained. She reached her fingers out and ran them through the projection that the band was displaying, as if she would actually reach out and touch him. 

“We’ll get through this, Loki. I know we will.” Alice said. She would do everything in her power to show him that she meant it.

 

**

 

“Hold still now, dear.” The elderly woman said as she began to dress Alice in her new Asgardian dress. Sif had told her that she ordered a new dress made for Alice, but she neglected to tell her that she ordered a dozen of them.

“Madam, how did you make all these dresses in just this one day?” Alice asked as she felt the silky material fold around her body. There was no mirror, but she could already tell that the light, airy material fit her perfectly. 

“Centuries of practice.” The woman winked as she moved her hands to Alice’s back. Another woman came forward, a younger one with snow white hair, and began to clean and decorate Alice’s face. The entire experience left Alice feeling like a complete Barbie doll.

Sif leaned against the wall, her arms crossed over her chest. She was dressed in a simple royal blue gown. A silver cloaked wrapped around her upper body and around her waist, falling just below her knees. 

“You look absolutely stunning.” Sif smiled. She pushed herself off the wall and walked towards her friend, the blue dress dancing around her ankles. “I might just take you for myself.”

“I’m not so sure Loki would approve of that.” Alice giggled, trying to keep her head as still as possible as the white haired woman painted her face. “I’m not used to all this.”

“They didn’t pamper you on Midgard?” Sif crossed her arms over her chest again with a tilt of her head. 

“Not like this!” Alice gestured to the dress. “I never wore make up, really. I was going out on missions and getting all dirty, there was no need for it.”

Sif stayed quiet for a few moments. Her leg was shaking nervously. It was odd, Alice never imaged a woman like her to be nervous. Sif pursed her pink lips, then licked a thin stripe over them.

“What kind of powers did you have?” She asked softly, as if being any louder would upset Alice. Alice sighed and shut her eyes. The white haired woman began stroking a brush over her lids.

“I could manipulate elements. Fire, water, earth, air. Things like that.” Alice smiled sentimentally. “The Avengers helped me focus in on those powers and really strengthen them. I even kicked Thor and Loki’s ass a few times.”

“I would pay to see them get knocked on their asses.” Sif laughed. 

“It was quite the spectacle!” Alice chuckled. She missed the feeling of holding such great force in the palm of her hands. She could flatten a forest in seconds if she really wanted to. It seemed that with every passing minute, a piece of her was taken away and thrown into the abyss of memories. Her powers, Earth, her team, her clothes. They were all being taken from her, and it made her nauseous to think about.

“A spectacle, like you.” The elderly woman behind Alice said as she lifted her hands from Alice’s hips. The white haired woman nodded in agreement as they stood in front of Alice and took a few steps back. “Look at yourself, my dear.”

Alice stepped down from the short platform she was on and crossed the room to Sif’s mirror. What was staring back at her was a woman Alice didn’t even recognize.

Alice’s brown hair was pulled back from her face and cascaded down her back. The side strands of her hair were pulled back to form what looked like a wreath around the sides of her head, even with her temples. Her face was glowing brightly against the reflective glass. Gold eyeshadow covered her lids, accented with thin, brown eyeliner. Her eyelashes were long and plush. Her cheeks were rosy and her cheekbones looked like they could cut diamonds. Her lips were coated in a soft nude color, only made to accent the fullness of the pink pillows.

Alice looked at the dress, made especially for her. It was simple, yet extremely elegant. Emerald green silk covered her body and swung around her feet. The green sleeves reached her elbows, draping the bone and hanging low around them. Around her body, a golden shawl was wrapped. It seemed to capture all the fractures of light in the room and reflect it into the dress. A small, golden ribbon was tightened around Alice’s waist, cinching in her waist and matching her shawl. 

In the reflection of the mirror, Alice could see Sif appear behind her. She saw Sif smile at her in the mirror as she placed the hood of her silver cloak over her head.

“Come on then, princess. Time to see your prince.”

 

**

 

Loki had told Alice about Asgard’s feasts before. He had mentioned that they were a mix between an overly sized buffet with a lot of drinking (mainly from Thor and his friends) and a formal ball. 

He wasn’t lying.

Sif led Alice into the grand hall where hundreds upon hundreds of Asgardians gathered. They were all wearing their finest garments. Whispers about Loki and his glorious return circulated through the room. As people’s eyes caught sight of Alice, they would gasp and turn to whoever was closest, and point out the mysterious girl wearing the prince’s colors.

Alice didn’t say anything. She simply stared at Sif’s back as she followed her through the crowd. As they walked further and further through the room, Alice caught sight of three large figures standing on a pedestal at the head of the room. She could see Thor standing at the base of the pedestal, wearing his most formal Asgardian attire. The space around them was occupied by guards. Whenever someone would pass, they would bow their heads in respect. It was clear that the other two figures standing at the head of the hall were Frigga and Odin, the people that Loki had told her so much about.

Frigga was beautiful, just as Loki had described her. Long honey hair flowing past her back. She was wrapped in a sophisticated golden dress that put every other woman’s garments to shame. She had on a warm, excited smile. Clearly, she was happy that Loki was home.

Odin, on the other hand, he didn’t seem too pleased. He had a smirk on his face, but Alice could tell it was emotionless. His one eye wandered around the room, and Alice was almost positive that at one point, he stared directly at her.

Sif turned around to wrap an arm around Alice’s waist and pull her over to the side of the room. People were clearing the middle of the hall as guards began to walk down the center. Everyone’s talking turned into hush whispers as it was clear that Loki would be making his grand entrance in due time. 

Alice was wedged between Sif and another woman, both much taller than her. The guards in the center of the hall moved to line the walkway that Loki would be walking down. Coincidentally, one guard just so happened to place himself directly in front of Alice.

“Excuse me, sir. I can’t see.” Alice poked the guard on the shoulder, but he made no effort to move. Before Alice could poke at him again, Odin banged his staff against the ground, immediately silencing the room. 

“I, Odin, the Allfather, have invited you here today in celebration.” Odin began. His voice was like a speaker set to 100. His voice radiated through the entire room. Alice was sure that Tony would be able to hear him back on Earth. “My son, Loki, has fulfilled his punishment and has been accepted back home.”

The crowd erupted into cheers. Laughter and merriment filled the crowd as people clapped. Alice smiled to herself, knowing how much this acceptance would mean to him. She hoped he could hear the thunderous applause from wherever he was hiding. Odin lifted his hand, silencing the crowd in an instant.

“Loki has served the people of Midgard with dignity and fortitude. He joined his brother’s side to save and protect the realm’s people, and for that, he has earned my trust again.” Odin said loudly. His words left a sour taste in Alice’s mouth. Thor told her that Odin didn’t trust Loki yet, and her being trapped here was proof. Maybe Loki wasn’t exaggerating when he said that Odin was terribly manipulative and fake. “Now, Loki, present yourself to your people.”

Odin hit his staff against the floor again and the golden doors at the back of the hall opened. People began screaming and cheering louder and louder. She felt people pushing against her in an attempt to get closer. Alice tried to peer over the guards’ shoulders, but she couldn’t see anything. 

“I can’t see!” Alice yelled. She went to turn to Sif, only to notice that she was gone, mostly likely pushed away in the madness of people trying to get closer to see Loki. A hand wrapped around Alice’s shoulder and pulled her back. She kept getting tossed around to the point where she was pressed against the back wall, completely unable to see anything. 

“He’s so dreamy!” She heard a woman say from in front of her. Everyone was so much taller than her, and she was missing out on supporting her lover. Was he looking for her? Could he see her? Alice heard the bang of Odin’s staff again and the crowd silenced.

“My son, this feast has been dedicated to you as a welcome back into Asgard.” Odin said. “I trust that you will extend your care and protection to all the nine realms, as you did with Midgard.”

“I will.” Alice heard Loki say. Her heart was pounding as everyone clapped for him. 

“Now, as tradition upholds, the prince must take a partner for the evening, as a symbol of loyalty to Asgard. Take your choice, my son.” Odin said. Women and men began yelling, begging Loki to take their hand. Alice tried to push her way to the front, but no one would budge. 

Alice sank against the wall, leaning her back on the cold surface. She had no chance of getting up there. All this work for nothing. Loki probably thought that she had abandoned him after hearing that she wouldn’t be allowed to leave Asgard, and the thought of him believing that broke her heart into a thousand pieces.

She could tell he was wandering around the room. The cheers would follow wherever he stepped. She heard cheers rising in front of her. Alice lifted her head to see the crowd in front of her parting as the tips of Loki’s horned helmet appeared over their heads. Alice straightened herself as the last few people in front of her parted, revealing Loki in all his glory.

He was dressed in his full Asgardian royal attire, complete with his cape and helmet. His smile was glowing as he stepped towards Alice, placing his hand out. Everyone around them gasped as they realized that Alice’s dress was made to match Loki’s colors. Whispers broke out around her as Loki stood directly in front of her. He bowed before Alice, sending her into a fit of giggles.

“Now, tell me. Why is the most precious rose hiding in the back of the bush?” Loki whispered to her. Alice blushed, noticing how he slipped his pet name for her into his question. Alice shrugged and bowed slightly for him.

“I got pushed.” She said simply. Loki laughed and stepped directly in front of her. She could see the crowd forming around them, watching their every move. “No one would move. I thought you would go off dancing with someone else.” Alice smiled, but Loki could see the genuine concern in her eyes. He looked down at her through his helmet, and leaned in closer.

“My beautiful Alice, my heart only belongs to you.” Loki said with love and affection dancing in his voice. Alice blushed and pushed some of her hair away from her eyes. Loki cleared his throat and stood up taller, making sure everyone could see him. “Alice of Midgard, will you do me the honor in being my company for this grand event?” Loki said proudly. Alice could tell he wanted everyone to know that he chose her, and her heart swelled up at the notion. Then, he ducked his head down, so it was mere inches from Alice’s face. Quietly, he whispered to her. “Please, my rose?”

“Why, of course, my prince.” Alice winked. Loki broke out into the most beautiful grin as he held his hand out. Alice placed her hand in his, holding onto him tighter than ever before. Loki turned and acknowledged the crowd behind them, then led her out into the center of the hall. He turned to his family standing at the head of the hall. Thor was bursting in smiles, Frigga was nodding with a gentle grin on her own face, and Odin’s mouth was tightly shut.

“If Asgard is to have me home, then they are to have my love, too. Allfather, Allmother, I present to you the woman who inspired me to be the man I am today. Alice of Midgard.” Loki held his and Alice’s interlocked hands forward. Odin nodded once, and the crowd around them began to cheer again.

The people began to move around, eager to discuss what had just happened before them. Loki wrapped his arms around Alice and pulled her against his body. He leaned down to kiss the top of her head. She blushed against him, as always. In the background, the sound of music began to play and the smell of roasted pork filled the room. Loki smirked and pulled away, still leaving on arm wrapped around her waist. He ran a hand down Alice’s cheek and winked.

“Hold your head up high, my love. Let us show them why I worship you.”


	35. Stay With Me*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: NSFW content!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! I hope you enjoy this chapter, and thank you so much reading! Comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated! Enjoy!
> 
>  
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 4865

The only parties that Alice had ever been to were thrown by Tony Stark. Looking around the feast in Odin’s palace, Alice had decided that the two festivities weren’t all that different.

For starters, both parties contained an excessive amount of drinking, most of which was done by Thor for both occasions. Next, there was more food to go around than Alice thought humanly possible. Then, there were so many people swirling and dancing that Alice could consider herself suffering from second-hand dizziness by just watching them. 

The only difference was, unlike at Tony’s party where she knew mostly everyone, Alice knew exactly three people at this event.

She had stayed with Loki for a majority of the night. He made sure to constantly keep his arm around her, holding her tight to his side. He would lean over between conversations with other dignified Asgardians and whisper in her ear about how much he loved her. Every so often, in the madness of drunk dancers, Loki got swept away, leaving Alice alone and scared wherever she was. Moments later, however, Loki always found her.

Alice was quiet for most of the night. Despite her green dress, she blended in among the crowd, maybe too well. She was just another face for people to look over (quite literally, they were all taller than her). All of the conversation around her centered in on wars or celebrations from hundreds of years ago. Alice had no idea what anyone was saying, and she was pretty sure her face showed that.

She was sitting beside Loki at a long table filled with Asgardians. More than once, a beautiful woman would lean into Loki’s ear and whisper something to him. His eyes would widen significantly and he would pull away, lifting up a hand to reject them and send them off. Every time it happened, Alice felt herself getting more and more self-conscious. What could they possibly be saying to him? She was right there, wearing Loki’s colors, and no one seemed to respect that.

“I’m so sorry about all this. It is terribly uncomfortable for you.” Alice looked over to see Loki smiling sheepishly at her. She shrugged and put on her best smile. 

“What is there to be sorry for, Loki? I’m fine.” Alice tried to laugh as she leaned back in her seat, taking another sip of her wine. Loki could see right through her. He slid to the edge of his seat and placed a large hand on Alice’s dress-covered thigh.

“How about I go announce my departure to Odin? We’ve been here plenty long enough. Then you and I can go back to my quarters and spend some time to just us.” His voice was low and velvety, just as it always was when he felt lust flowing through him. Loki kissed her temple. Alice blushed and nodded, leaning forward to peck him on the lips.

“I would love nothing more than that.” Alice smiled genuinely, and Loki could tell. He winked once before standing and crossing the room. Alice sighed and sat back against her chair. She shut her eyes for a moment, hoping to calm the headache that was starting to form because of all the loud voices in the hall.

“I have never seen him happier than he is now.” Alice’s eyes flew open as she heard someone speak from behind her. She turned her head to see Frigga standing behind her chair. Alice gasped and quickly stood, bowing before the queen.

“Allmother! I- I’m…” Alice stuttered, unsure of what she meant to say. Frigga chuckled and waved her hand.

“Please, just call me Frigga.” Alice looked up through her lashes to see the beautiful queen smiling at her. She straightened her back and fixed the front of the green silky dress.

“Frigga, thank you for welcoming Loki back into Asgard. I’m Alice.” Alice bowed again slightly. “I worked with Thor and Loki on Earth, I mean, Midgard.”

“Just because you are on Asgard does not mean you must use our diction. Relax, young one.” Frigga walked forward to brush some hair off of Alice’s shoulder. “You are the reason my son is here today. You brought out the light in him again. Thank you.”

“All he needed was someone who trusted him.” Alice shrugged. “I just wanted to be his friend. He was so terribly lonely.”

“And you became so much more than just a friend.” Frigga smiled fondly. She turned her head slightly to see Loki conversing with two dukes from another realm. His smile was bright as he genuinely laughed to something they said. It was a sentiment Frigga hadn’t seen in a long time. “I see the way he looks at you. It’s like you’re the only thing he cares about in all the nine realms. During the entirety of Odin’s welcome home speech to him, his eyes were searching for you instead of looking towards the throne.”

“I didn’t mean to distract him.” Alice blushed. Frigga rolled her eyes playfully as she turned back to Alice.

“It’s a good thing.” Frigga mused. “Loki had been distracted for so long by the throne. He craved its power and nobility. Then, you came along and suddenly, he cares more about a single mortal’s wellbeing more than the crown. It’s astonishing, and quite extraordinary. You have a special sort of hold on his heart.”

“I love him, that’s really it. He’s always been there for me. He shows me tender love and affection. He puts my safety first, and he goes out of his way just to make me smile.” Alice let her mind wander to all the time she had spent with Loki. All the memories they had made laughing, having deep conversations, and making love. If it weren’t for the fact that he was a god and she was a superhuman, they would have been a perfectly normal couple. 

Frigga hummed and interlocked her fingers together. She could see the blush on Alice’s cheeks stretch down her neck. She rested her hands in front of her hips and glanced around the room. 

“I heard what happened to you, young one. Thor told me everything.” Frigga said quietly. Alice held her head up, trying not to let the memory of her lost powers affect her any more than it already had. “You were once blessed with such incredible powers. They were stripped from you, and for that, I am terribly sorry.”

“I was lucky enough to be able to fight by their sides once. I try to look back on that with happiness rather than remorse.” Alice said with as much confidence as she could muster. “A friend of ours on Earth, Tony Stark, tried to give my powers back to me, but it would have killed me if he tried.”

Frigga smiled and took a step closer to her. She lifted one hand up and cupped the side of her face, as if to block anyone else from seeing her lips.

“Science is such a peculiar thing. It seems so advanced and yet so weak. Magic on the other hand, well, that is something that cannot be matched. It tends to be more…successful in my personal experience.” Frigga winked. She stood back and folded her hands in front of her again. “Thank you for coming, and it was wonderful to meet you, Alice.”

Frigga turned around and left, gliding through the crowds like a ghost. Alice stared after her, completely overwhelmed by what just happened. She knew Frigga was gifted with magic, after all, she taught Loki everything he knew. Was she insinuating that she could heal Alice? Alice thought Tony and Bruce were the smartest people she knew, and even they could not help her. Would Frigga be able to push past science and use her mystical capabilities to save Alice’s powers?

“My love, we have been excused.” Alice heard Loki say from behind her. She turned around, her face pale from her conversation with Frigga. Loki leaned in and wrapped an arm around her. “Alice? Are you feeling alright?” 

Alice looked up at Loki through her thick eyelashes. He looked so beautiful under these golden lights. His helmet had been removed long ago, leaving his inky hair to dangle around his shoulders freely. His eyes were swimming with concern as he looked down at Alice. She reached up to cup his face, and pulled him down into her. She kissed him front of everybody, not caring who looked. It was clear that they were dedicated to each other, but if people saw them like this then maybe everyone would stop trying to flirt with him. His arms tightened around her waist as he held her close to him. Their lips pushed and pulled against one another’s, seeking dominance in their romantic dance. They stood like that for several minutes before Alice pulled back and ran a hand down Loki’s chest.

“Take me to your bed, Loki.” She smirked. Loki lifted his eyebrows and quickly spun them around so they could head for the exit. Everyone watched them run from the hall, but they didn’t care. They felt like the only two in the world.

 

**

 

“Are we there yet? I feel like we’ve been running for hours!” Alice giggled as Loki pulled her through the golden corridors of the palace. After he had slipped them out from the party, he made sure to have them run to his room as not to waste any time. Yet, he couldn’t help it that his room was on the exact opposite side of the palace from the ballroom.

“We’re nearly there, my dear.” Loki turned around and winked as he tugged them through the winding halls. The only sounds they could hear were the clicking of their heels on the marble floors and the soft laughter Alice would let out when Loki pulled her around another corner. A few guards stood watch down the halls, but Loki didn’t care to show courtesy. He whisked Alice around out of desperation and lust, and he couldn’t care less if the guards knew what was about to happen. She was in his colors, after all. It only made sense.

After another five minutes, Loki had reached a large, golden door at the end of a hallway. The door almost reached the ceiling, which was several feet high. Loki fumbled with the door handles, and pushed the doors open. He spun Alice around and pushed her up against the doors the minute they closed. 

Loki cupped her face and pressed his lips to hers, eager to finally have her. She kissed him back with passion, her hands lacing into his silky black locks. He pushed her harder against the door, wanting to press every inch of himself against her. Even through the thick leather, Alice could feel Loki stiffening against her. She moaned into his lips and sent her hands traveling down to his leather trousers. Loki’s hand reached down to grab her wrist to stop her movements. He pulled away and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“Let us take our time tonight, my rose.” He purred into her ear. He pressed a long kiss behind her ear, earning a quiet sigh from Alice’s parted lips. “You are about to be fucked on the bed of a prince, the bed of a god. Relish in it. Pleasure yourself with that thought. You are my queen, my goddess.”

Loki wrapped his arms around Alice and began to move them backwards towards his bed. She was so focused on the look in his gleaming eyes that she could barely register what was actually happening. Loki had said it all. She was about to fuck Loki, both a prince and a god, in his luxurious royal bed in a palace on Asgard. The sentence sounded like madness, but she didn’t mind. She could feel him, and he was real. He was a tangible being right in front of her and he was looking at her with swollen lips and a lustful desire. Somewhere in that lust, Alice could see the love he held for her. As long as that was there, it didn’t matter what made sense and what didn’t.

Loki quickly turned them around so when they reached the bed, Alice fell with a soft slap against the mattress. She stretched her arms out and ran her fingers over the silky material. When she ran her fingers over the blankets, she could imagine that this was the feeling of stars. Smooth, light, silky, airy. Perhaps she had too much to drink. Perhaps she didn’t care.

Alice reached up and pulled Loki down on top of her again. She kissed him like it was both the first time and the last time. He groaned against her, running his large hands down the expanse of her chest, waist, hips, legs. He wanted to feel every inch of her, and the only thing stopping that was her dress.

“As much as I love this garment, it simply must go.” Loki purred against her lips. Alice pulled back and ran her hands down his clothed chest.

“At least make it even.” She giggled. Loki stood up and winked down at her, his cheeks flushed from passion. He shed the upper portion of his armor and his boots, leaving his trousers on. He pulled Alice up, pulled at some of her dress’ ties, and let her dress fall to her ankles. He knelt down and ran his hands up her waist, dipping his fingers in and out of the gentle curves in her stomach and in her back.

“It has been too long.” Loki leaned in to kiss her stomach. Alice rolled her eyes, scoffing at Loki’s impatience.

“It’s been, like, a day and a half.” She smirked as she ran her fingers through his hair. Loki looked up at her through his thick eyelashes.

“A day and a half too long.” Loki placed a hand on Alice’s stomach and pushed her back onto the bed again. She landed with a tiny yelp. Loki hooked his fingers into Alice’s panties and slid them down her lean legs, leaving kisses down her thighs and calves. Slowly, he pushed her legs up and dove head first into her core.

“Fuck!” Alice yelped, her hands grabbing Loki’s hair. Normally, Loki would tease her. He would take his time working her up before he finally gave her what she needed. Clearly he was too excited tonight to deal with that. 

“No touching.” Loki hissed, digging his fingernails into her thighs. Alice yelped and nodded slowly. She lifted her arms above her head, resting her wrists over one another. “That’s much better.” Loki went back in, causing Alice to whine again.

Loki chuckled against her center at her reaction. His tongue lapped her up, drinking her as if she was the most sacred, sweetest liquid in the universe and he had been dehydrated for years. He hooked his arms under her legs to keep her steady as he drank her. His tongue circled her clit, massaging the little bud with everything he had. Then, he would slide down, trace his tongue around her hole, dipping it in and out rapidly before tracing it back up to her clit.

And he was at this for what seemed like hours. He kept Alice on edge. Every time she felt herself about to climax, Loki would pull away, kiss the curves of her thighs until she calmed down, then went back in. Alice tossed her head back and cried out. She couldn’t even reach down and force his mouth back to her center. Her hands pulled at the luxurious sheets, half positive she could rip them if she really wanted to.

“Please, Loki! I need to cum. Please just let me cum.” Alice turned her head into the silk sheets. Loki hummed against her, licking her up and down. He pulled away and squeezed at Alice’s thighs. She snapped her head up to look down at Loki. His lips were slick and his pupils were completely dilated, leaving little to no trace of his ocean colored eyes behind.

“Well, why didn’t you just say so?” Loki teased. Alice groaned and let her head fall back down as Loki licked up her folds slowly. 

“Asshole.” Alice chuckled. Loki ignored her, and decided it was time to finally give her what she wanted. Loki tightened his grip on her legs and circled his tongue around her sensitive, swollen bud. He showed no mercy as he massaged her clit. He tightened his lips around her and sucked the bud into his mouth, sending Alice screaming over the edge. Her climax washed over her like a tsunami and her vision went fuzzy. She felt Loki pulling away from her, and when her sight returned back to normal, she saw him standing completely naked over her.

“What can I do for you, my love?” Loki asked as he ran his hands down Alice’s body. She shivered under his touch with desire. Through her hooded eyes, she looked up at him with desire.

“Fuck me.” She said simply. Loki smirked as he pushed her back further onto the bed, which Alice was beginning to realize was absolutely massive.

“Of course.” Loki said as he lined himself up with her hole. He teased the sensitive area before he pushed his cock into her tight body. Alice moaned loudly, her hands grabbing at the sheets. His hips pressed against her slowly until he was fully sheathed in her. Alice’s hands were shaking, desperate to reach up and touch Loki. “Keep your hands there.” He commanded.

Alice nodded as she parted her lips to moan. Loki immediately started pounding his cock into her. He thrusted in and out of her rapidly, causing Alice to scream out his name. He was filling her with every inch of him, and was showing no care for slowing down. He needed her, and he needed her now.

“Loki, you’re so fucking huge.” Alice cried as he snapped his hips into her. He could hear the delicious sounds of her wetness as he pushed into her. His balls slapped against the bottom of her pussy as he fucked her. Her core was getting hotter and redder with every motion. 

Alice looked at Loki with lust filling her eyes. His eyes were screwed shut and sweat was beading on his pale forehead. His black hair was falling over his shoulders and his muscles were straining. All she wanted to do was reach out and touch him. Loki’s eyes popped open and he stared down at Alice. He leaned down and kissed her passionately, pushing his tongue into her mouth and tasting every inch of her. His hips didn’t slow, however, and he continued to make sure that she felt every ounce of pleasure he could provide for her.

“Loki, please let me touch you. Please, I need to feel you.” Alice cried. Loki could feel himself nearing the edge, and his thrusts became sloppy and uneven.

“Go ahead, darling. Feel away.” Loki grunted. Alice’s arms shot up to touch Loki. She ran her hands over his neck, chest, torso. She ran her fingers through his hair. She touched every inch of skin she could reach. 

An idea suddenly popped into Alice’s fuzzy mind. She moved her hands up Loki’s tense arms and to his shoulders. She wrapped her legs around Loki’s waist and flipped them over so she was on top of him. Loki let out a rugged gasp as Alice began to push her hips down onto him. She rode him as she placed her hands flat against his heaving chest.

“Alice, Alice, my little minx.” Loki groaned, throwing his head back in the same way Alice did before. She moaned as she pleasured herself on his cock, bouncing up and down like her life depended on it.

“My prince.” Alice moaned as she bucked her hips up and down. Loki kept his eyes focused on her as he ran his hands over her waist. He gripped her hips tightly in his hands, digging his nails into her soft flesh.

“My princess, my goddess, my queen.” Loki purred. His hands stroked over her as she rode him hard and fast. Her breath was labored as her ass bounced against him. Loki was pretty positive he would be perfectly fine staying like this forever.

“I’m going to cum.” Alice gasped. Loki moved his hands to her ass. He cupped her flesh and spread her cheeks. He slid a finger down to where her hole was stretched around his cock and rubbed the thin skin. Within seconds, Alice was cumming over Loki’s cock. Her hole tightened around him as she drenched him with her juices. Loki groaned as he pushed his hips into her one last time before spilling into her. He filled her up as he rode out his own orgasm, mixing them together against her skin.

Loki pulled out and let Alice roll over next to him. She was breathing heavily and her eyes were shut. Loki smirked, proud at how he always managed to wear her out, then leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss to her temple. As he always used to, he conjured up a wet cloth to clean her. He turned them around and moved them up the bed so he could rest her head on his pillows. Before he rested the blankets over her, he waved his hand and let her old pajamas from back at Stark Tower conjure themselves over her body. When Fandral and Volstagg summoned them to come home, Loki made sure to snag her favorite pair of pajamas to bring with them. He knew it would give her some sense of home in this strange place.

Loki then pulled the blankets over them, feeling Alice curl into him as her breathing evened out. Loki watched her sleep. She looked so peaceful and calm. He wished for her to always feel this way. Loki pushed a few strands of her hair behind her ear before kissing her again on her temple.

“Thank you, my rose, for all that you have done for me. I truly do not deserve you.” Loki whispered to her sleeping form. He then shut his eyes, and let the calm of night take him over.

 

**

 

As much as Alice wanted to fall back asleep, she couldn’t. She had woken up twenty minutes ago, and was perfectly awake. She wanted to curl back into Loki’s side, shut her eyes, and let sleep take her over again, but she couldn’t. Her restlessness betrayed her. 

Alice sat up and immediately noticed that she wasn’t naked like she thought she was. She was wearing her pajamas from back home. She looked over at Loki, knowing he did this for her. A pit in her stomach formed at the thought of home.

Earth.

She missed it so much. Maybe she missed it more because she knew she couldn’t go back. If Odin had let Alice freely come and go between Asgard and Earth, then maybe this wouldn’t be so bad. But he was using her as bait for Loki. Odin was dangling her life in front of Loki’s eyes, tempting him to make one wrong move. If he did, she was done for.

Alice pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged her legs. She buried her face into her kneecaps and let out silent sobs. She wanted to go home. The people on this realm were so intimidating. She had nothing other than Loki, and who was to say how long it would last? She loved him, yes, and he clearly loved her. But he was a prince again, and he would have responsibilities thrusted upon him again before he knew it. Thor was always traveling from realm to realm. Could that be Loki soon?

Alice looked over at Loki, wiping her tears away from her eyes. He was a prince, and his people needed him. She needed to be strong for him. But could she be? She missed everyone so much. She missed Bucky’s warm hugs. She missed Natasha’s witty banter. She missed Rhodey’s humorous stories. She missed Steve’s kind smile. She missed Tony’s loving care.

Alice decided that maybe a walk would help clear her mind. As she slid out of bed, she realized she had no idea where she could walk to. Her eyes surveyed the room for the first time since Loki took her there. It was giant, much bigger than Sif’s. It was adorned in soft, elegant carpets and luxurious furniture. Gold and green lined the room. She could see a large, golden lined marble door off to the right, which she could only assume was Loki’s bathroom. To her right, was a giant set of glass doors that led out to a balcony, which overlooked the night time landscape of Asgard. 

Alice crossed the room, past a desk full of papers, bookshelves lined with old books, and a dining setting. She ran her hands over the deep wood of the table, admiring the smooth, reflective surface. When she looked up, she found an unlit fireplace surrounded by green couches and cushions.

Alice crossed the room to stand in front of the fireplace. Normally, she would just fling some fire onto the wood and light it that way, but now, using that power would just ignite pain inside of her. Alice looked at her hands and wondered if maybe, just maybe, a tiny flame would hurt her. Would it cause her enough pain to double over and scream? 

Alice quickly lit the tiniest fire in her hand, and immediately felt a scorching pain surge through her. She bit her lip to hold back a scream as she flung the tiny ball of fire into the fireplace. The wood ignited into orange and yellow licks of fire. The pain in her body buzzed through her as Alice fell back onto the couch. It felt like each of her veins were exploding inside of her.

Another wave of tears came over her. Even the smallest flame sent immense pain through her body. She had truly lost her powers. She lost her friends. She lost her home. She lost everything, besides for Loki. She looked back at the sleeping man, hoping that she would never need to lose him too. They were stuck here, but they were stuck here together. At least she could deal with that. 

Alice glanced around the room and tried to let herself relax, but something still nagged her in the back of her mind. What if the idea of being eligible for the throne would push Loki away from her? She could never be a queen, obviously. Loki would need one if he was to become king. Surely, there would be a line of eligible lords and ladies waiting to take his hand in marriage.

“You’re in deep thought there, my love.” Alice heard Loki say. She turned her head to see him standing beside the couch. She sighed and sank herself deeper into the soft cushions. He walked around the couch and kneeled in front of Alice, taking her hands in his. “What plagues your thoughts?”

“It’s nothing.” Alice smiled down at Loki. He scoffed and kissed the backs of her hands.

“If it was nothing, you would still be in bed next to me.” Loki said softly. “Now, tell me.”

“In the span of two weeks, I have lost everything. What if I lose you too?” Alice whispered. Loki tightened his hold on her hands and scrunched his eyebrows together.

“Why would you ever lose me, my love?” Loki leaned in to her. Alice bit her lip and shut her eyes. 

“You’re a prince. You’re in line for the throne again. I see how much of a toll royalty takes on Thor. That responsibility is going to fall on you, again.” Alice paused, letting her voice stop shaking. “What if that responsibility tears us apart? I can’t be a queen. I’m not good enough to even be a princess. I’m only here to keep you in line.”

“Never say those words, Alice. I love you, and I promise to let nothing come between us.” Loki kissed her hands as he moved onto the couch to hold her. He gathered her in his arms and rocked her back and forth, kissing the top of her head. He hushed her cries, making sure she knew he was here for her and he always would be. As she quieted down, Loki rubbed her back softly. “I am not suited for the throne, not anymore. I have greater priorities.”

“Stay with me, please. I can’t lose you, too.” Alice looked up at Loki through her wet eyelashes. Loki pressed a hand to her cheek and smiled.

“I’m not going anywhere, my rose. I promise.” Loki whispered as he pressed a kiss to Alice’s soft lips. She melted into his touch and let him wash all of her worries away. Loki promised her he would never leave her.

And this was one promise Loki would never break.


	36. Powerful

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! This chapter was really fun to write so I hope you enjoy it! Comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated, and thank you for reading!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 5080

1 Year Later

 

Life on Asgard was comfortable, and that was the truth.

It had been so hard at first to adjust to this lifestyle. In the beginning, Loki was getting wrapped up in all the responsibilities that were being thrust upon him. Most of the time, he would leave before Alice woke up, and she wouldn’t see him again until dinner. Sometimes, he never even showed up to eat, and she would end up falling asleep without him there. 

But he was nothing but lovely to her. He showed her all around Asgard, and had even brought her to the waterfall that he once turned the woods back on Earth into for her. He showed her all the places in the gardens he used to hide away in. He had even created a rose garden just for her, with roses of every imaginable color blooming on every bush. 

Dating a prince, living in the palace, constantly being scrutinized by Odin was all extremely tiring, but Alice learned to get used to it. She learned to get used to the dresses and the feasts. She learned to stop calling Frigga “Allmother” and to just call her by her name, even though it still felt odd. She learned to cope with Loki’s hectic schedule and to be able to appreciate the time they did have alone. She learned it was okay to indulge in the parties and food, and not be afraid of what the others were thinking of her. She learned to be happy.

Asgard was learning to love Loki again, and they were even starting to warm up to Alice. They saw the way that Loki leaned into her and protected her. He brought her to every feast, and always made sure to adorn her in emerald green dresses. Alice had even heard a few people refer to her as a “princess”, and although it was overwhelming at first, she was beginning to feel like she could get used to it.

Yet, as much as she was getting used to Asgard, Alice couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable around the King. Alice had learned to avoid Odin at all costs. Whenever he saw her, he stared at her as if she was the worst thing to plague the planet. Alice wasn’t sure why he hated that she was here so much when he was the reason she couldn’t leave. Loki could sense the hostility that Odin held towards Alice, and always made sure to guide her the opposite way whenever Odin was coming forward. She never talked to the King much, and she didn’t have many plans to. 

Frigga, on the other hand, was nothing but exceptionally kind to her. She would often invite Alice for tea in one of the gardens while the “boys were working”. They talked about everything from her favorite blend of tea to Asgardian poetry. Frigga reminisced about Loki and Thor’s childhood, slipping in some embarrassing stories about her younger son to Alice. She loved spending time with Frigga, and she could finally say that she had found a motherly figure to look up to. But every time Frigga asked her about Earth’s culture, Alice couldn’t help but miss everything that she once had.

Even outside of her conversations with Frigga, Alice often thought about Earth and everyone back home. She even found herself referring to it as Midgard every now and then without even intending to. It was in the quiet moments that she found herself thinking about Tony, Steve and the others. It was when Loki had to fulfill another royal responsibility, and Alice decided to wander the quieter streets of the city. She would find small things that reminded her of what she used to call home. Some of her favorite moments were when Thor traveled back to Earth. Alice would wait with Heimdall at the bifrost for his return, eagerly tapping her foot and biting her lip. As soon as Thor stepped foot back into Asgard, he was flooding her with news about everyone. It made her homesick, and often times it made her cry, but it helped her more than anything. It helped her know that everyone was safe and happy.

Along with Thor and Frigga, Alice found comfort and companionship in Sif. She was like a sister to her. If Loki wasn’t around, it was more likely than not that Sif would hover a few paces behind Alice to make sure she was safe. Sif had made sure that Volstagg, Hogun, and Fandral also kept their eyes on her when Loki wasn’t around, just to be sure she was safe. Volstagg and Hogun were always friendly towards Alice, and even Fandral was beginning to warm up to the idea that Alice wasn’t just Loki’s “little pet”.

So, life was comfortable. There was food to eat (plenty of it), horses to ride, warm beds to sleep in, and a man to love. Alice was happy. 

Except for today.

One week ago, Loki had informed her that him and Thor had to go on a “tour” of a few of the realms. It was customary for the princes to do. They would meet with the leaders of each of these realms, discuss politics, make agreements, and reinstate the bindings of Asgardian rule with them. Odin had insisted that Loki attend the tour with Thor, despite Loki’s protests. They would be gone for three weeks, and Alice wasn’t sure if she could handle being apart from both her lover and her best friend for that long.

She was sitting on Loki’s bed, her knees pulled up to her chest as she watched him gather a few of his items into a bag. She never took her eyes off of him, scared that if she did look away, he would disappear.

“Must you go?” Alice whispered as he shut the bag tightly. Loki turned to her and walked closer to where she was curled up on the bed. He ran a single finger across her cheekbone and down to her jaw.

“I wish I didn’t.” Loki sighed. “Will you be alright?”

“Of course, I’ll have Sif and the Warriors. I’ll go riding by the stables maybe.” Alice looked up into Loki’s sincere eyes. “I’m just going to miss you.”

“I will miss you more than anything, my love.” Loki smiled as he sat beside her. She moved over to him, her dress tangling around her legs as she leaned into his side. “Will mother be entertaining you with some tea parties?”

“Yes, of course. We’re having tea in the garden today.” Alice tangled her fingers with Loki’s, staring at the way their hands fit perfectly together. “I think she’s arranged it as a way to distract me.”

“Please do not worry about me, my rose. I will be okay.” Loki placed his hand on Alice’s cheek. 

“I always worry about you.” Alice laughed. She turned her head slightly to kiss the palm of Loki’s hand, the chilling feeling lingering on her lips.

“Foolish little lady.” Loki smirked as he pushed Alice down onto the bed. He crawled on top of her and pressed his lips to hers. They mingled slowly, careful with one another. Alice cupped the sides of Loki’s neck so he would stay against her. He kissed her with a fiery passion, sending desire trickling down his spine. Alice felt her own arousal peaking as Loki kissed her deeper.

“Stay with me.” Alice whispered against Loki’s lips. He groaned and rested his forehead against hers.

“I want nothing more than to stay.” Loki admitted. He ran his hands down Alice’s body, memorizing every inch of it. He let her curves and dips imprint themselves into his mind, and he never wanted to let them leave his memory.

“Please?” Alice sighed softly. Loki pulled back to look her in the eyes. They were so green, so lovely. He never wanted to stop looking into them.

“I will be back before you know it.” Loki held out his pinky. Alice looked down at the finger and laughed. “I promise.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” Alice smiled as she interlocked their pinkies together with her own. Loki leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her smooth forehead as someone sent their fist knocking at Loki’s door.

“It is time to go, my prince.” A voice said through the door. Loki rolled his eyes and pushed himself upwards. He slung his back over his shoulder and reached his hand out to Alice. She placed her palm in his and let him lead her out of the room. 

The walk to the front gates of the palace was exhausting. With every step, Alice wanted to tug Loki’s hand and make a break for it back to his room. She didn’t want him to leave her alone on Asgard. Him and Thor would be gone for weeks and Alice would be left to navigate the palace on her own, for the most part. She had no way of returning to Earth. But maybe if she did, these few weeks would go by easier.

An idea popped into Alice’s head. With Loki away, maybe Odin would allow her to leave Asgard for just a short while. She would even offer for one of the warriors to go with her and supervise her. Oh, how she wished she could see everyone again. She missed them so much it hurt sometimes. This was the perfect opportunity to get on Odin’s good side and get his permission to duck away from Asgard, even if it was just for a few hours.

Once Loki and Alice reached the front gates, a giant crowd had appeared. Guards were gathering horses for Loki and Thor, while maidens made sure that every necessary item was packed for their journey. The applause from the spectators rose drastically as Loki exited the castle, his hand firmly grasping Alice’s. He greeted the crowd, whose cheers were becoming too overwhelming. Thor had already begun mounting his horse, and waited for his brother.

“I will see you soon, my rose.” Loki said softly as he turned to Alice. She nodded once, and forgetting all formalities that were appropriate, she flung her arms around Loki’s waist. She pressed her face into his breastplate, and just held him. The crowd’s applause faltered at the sight, but continued to roar on. 

“I love you.” Alice said against Loki’s chest. She looked up at him and gripped onto him tighter. “Please be safe. Please.”

“I will, I promise.” Loki smiled down at her. He lifted up a finger to trace along her cheekbones, catching a stray tear that had escaped from her left eye. “I love you.”

Loki leaned down and kissed Alice swiftly. He had pulled away smoothly, gave Alice one last longing look before heading towards his horse. His eyes never left Alice as he hopped onto the horse’s back and adjusted his reigns.

“Shall we, brother?” Thor called over to Loki from his own horse. Loki nodded once, still looking at Alice. He winked at her once before kicking the side of his horse and charging through the main streets of Asgard with Thor. The cheers from the crowd followed the brothers through all of Asgard, and Alice was left standing in their wake.

“They will be just fine.” A voice said from behind Alice. She turned to see Frigga smiling from behind her. Alice nodded and walked over to the Queen. She bowed slightly as she smoothed out the front of her green dress.

“I just get so worried sometimes, especially when it comes to politics.” Alice laughed sourly. Frigga tilted her head to the side.

“How has friendly discussion ever harbored any sort of ill-feeling for you?” Frigga asked. Her hands were clasped in front of her golden dress like usual, and Alice noticed a slight tremble in her fingers. Even though Frigga was putting on a strong face, she could tell that the Allmother was nervous for her sons.

“Politics has done nothing but create war on Midgard.” Alice explained. “We aim for peaceful discussion but it just creates violence.”

“Well, it’s a good thing they aren’t going to Midgard then.” Frigga offered a smile. She held her hand out to Alice, who still noticed the gentle shaking. “Come, let’s gather for tea.”

 

**

 

“I’ve been thinking about you a lot, Alice.” Frigga said as she tapped her spoon against the side of her teacup. Alice looked up from her own cup across the table. 

“Oh? Is that a good thing?” Alice asked. She sipped her drink nervously as her eyes flitted around the garden they were sitting in. Even though she was physically sitting here with Frigga, her heart was off in another realm with Loki.

“Possibly.” Frigga smiled. She placed her teacup down and folded her hands over her lap. She paused momentarily as the cool breeze pushed through her hair. “You’ve become comfortable here.”

“I’m still trying to get used to this.” Alice admitted. Her finger traced the rim of the teacup, trying to distract herself from her wandering thoughts. “Truthfully, I miss my life back on Midgard.”

“I would imagine. You’ve lost a lot.” Frigga said sadly. Alice nodded and looked down at her dress. Although it was beautiful, she missed her sweatshirts and jeans. She missed what her life used to be. She missed her powers.

“Yeah, but as long as I have Thor and Loki then at least things remain somewhat normal for me.” Alice looked back at up Frigga who was looking towards the rose garden. 

“That’s why you’re so nervous.” Frigga said softly. “You’re afraid of losing the last thing that you have control of.”

“I don’t know what I would do without them. Thor is my best friend, and Loki is the love of my life. I lost my home, my friends, my powers. I can’t lose them too.” Alice held back the tears that were collecting in her eyes. She didn’t want to show Frigga how weak she felt. It was true, she couldn’t stand the thought of losing Thor and Loki, too. If they were gone, she had nothing left to her name. She was on a foreign realm, surrounded by people who probably didn’t even like her despite the kind faces they put on, and unable to leave thanks to Odin. Loki had become the center of her universe. He was the only thing that kept her grounded to reality. Without him, she would be, quite literally, lost.

“Your losses have been the reason I have been thinking of you so much.” Frigga smiled as she turned to look at Alice again. She could see how upset the younger girl was. Frigga reached across the table to take Alice’s hands in her own. “I feel I may be finally able to return something that you have lost.”

“What?” Alice leaned back slightly. Her eyes widened at Frigga’s words. 

“You heard me, Alice. I have been doing a lot of thinking and I believe it is time to compensate you for staying on Asgard.” Frigga said as she gripped Alice’s shaking hands tighter.

“I didn’t really have a choice for staying here.” Alice rolled her eyes before she could help herself. Frigga laughed and curled her lips into a sneaky smile.

“I’m aware of that, but you never even tried to fight it. You stayed here with Loki and cared for the people of this realm as if they were your own.” Frigga let her hands slip away from Alice’s. She smoothed them down her dress before crossing her hands in front of her again. “So, I want to try and give you your powers back.”

Alice’s eyes almost popped out of her head at hearing this. She remembered so many months ago when Frigga hinted that her magic may be able to help Alice, but she honestly tried to forget about it. She didn’t want to get her hopes up. But now Frigga was basically telling her she was going to try to make it happen. Was this real life? 

“Frigga, how is this possible?” Alice worried her lip between her teeth as her eyes focused on her teacup in front of her. Her mind was spinning and nothing was making sense. “Tony Stark couldn’t fix me, and he is one of the most intelligent Midgardians.” 

“I am one of the most powerful users of magic on all the nine realms. I have been studying what to do for you for months, and I think I may be able to take care of you.” Frigga stood from the table. Alice looked up at her, unsure of what to do next. Frigga held her hand out and laughed. “Well, let’s go, young one. Don’t you want your powers back?” 

 

**

 

Alice had not laid back on a lab table for a year, but here she was. Her back was pressed flat to a bed beneath her as her eyes stared at the golden ceiling above her. The gentle aroma of lilacs and ginger wafted through the room. The room was dark, and only the flickering of hundreds of little candles illuminated the space slightly.

Frigga was humming in the corner as she flipped through the pages of a giant book. Alice felt her heart pounding in her chest. If Frigga’s magic worked, then Alice would maybe be able to use her powers again. Excited was an understatement.

“Now, young one, this may be slightly painful.” Frigga warned her. “But it shall be worth it.”

“I can handle it.” Alice whispered. Frigga smiled and nodded. She lifted her hands above Alice’s body and waved them over her. Alice closed her eyes as she felt something tickling her skin. Frigga began to whisper words above her, and she could tell that the Allmother was in complete concentration. With every word that Frigga uttered, the tickling on Alice’s skin turned more into poking, and then into sparks.

Frigga began to speak louder and the tingling sparks against Alice skin began to feel like knives pressing into her skin. Alice’s breathing started getting heavier as the pain got more and more intense. It felt like someone was stabbing her at every part of her body. Alice bit her lip, trying not to interrupt Frigga’s intense concentration.

Frigga was almost yelling her words, and Alice’s lip was bleeding from how harshly she was biting it. Tears were falling from her eyes as the pain tore through it. It felt like every inch of her skin was being torn apart, sewn together again, and ripped to shreds once more. Her hands were burning and sweat was dripping from her forehead. She almost wanted to scream out and tell Frigga to stop, but she needed to do this. She was strong enough to get through this.

Then, a sharp pain hit Alice in her chest. She screamed out, her hands grabbing the table she was laying on as the tears fell freely from her eyes. Frigga looked down at her, but continued the spell. Alice was writhing on the table, and she couldn’t handle the pain. Her mouth was releasing heavy, deep sobs and if the pain didn’t stop soon, Alice was sure she was going to burn up and disintegrate.

Frigga’s words became quieter as she rested her hands on Alice’s body. Suddenly, Alice’s body began to cool down. The stinging pain dulled as the tickling returned to her body, which soon disappeared as well. Frigga went silent as her hands ran up and down Alice’s arms. Alice heard Frigga gasp above her, and Alice wasn’t sure if that was such a good thing or not.

“Open your eyes.” Frigga whispered. Alice slowly let her eyes open, and she was shocked at what she saw. Above her was a floating cloud of clear liquid, which looked like the same liquid that was being put into her body by Melissa. Frigga lifted her hands, uttered some words, and let the cloud explode above Alice’s head, causing the liquid to turn into a gas that faded away. 

“Was that…?” Alice began to ask. Frigga turned to her and helped Alice sit up on the table.

“The serum that was in you? Yes, it seems so.” Frigga handed Alice a cup of water, which she eagerly took and drank. Alice placed the empty glass down and turned to Frigga.

“What now?” She asked. Frigga gestured to the empty cup beside Alice.

“Time to see if it worked. Fill the cup.” Frigga insisted. Alice hesitated. She was afraid of feeling that terrible burning pain again that ripped through her veins when she used her powers before. 

Alice held out her hand over the glass. It trembled viciously, and she was nervous that if her powers were actually working then she would get water all over the place. But she shut her eyes, took in a deep breath, and willed the glass to fill with water. When Alice let her eyes open, she saw the glass slowly filling with water. 

“Holy shit!” Alice yelled. She hopped up from the table and picked up the glass. She looked over to Frigga and ran into her arms. She held the Queen tightly as she thanked her profusely. Frigga ran a hand through Alice’s sweat-clad hair as she laughed at her excitement. “Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Alice pulled away from Frigga and held her hands out. Within her palms, she let the tongues of fire surge upwards, then turn into pillars of dirt, and lastly a stream of air. She felt so powerful again! She felt like herself. 

“I believe you would like this.” Frigga held her hand out. In her palm, the black band that held Alice’s suit appeared. Alice’s eyes widened and she squealed upon seeing the object. Alice carefully took the bracelet and clipped it around her wrist. It had been months since she wore the accessory. It felt so wrong to wear something that didn’t help her anymore. But now, she felt in control again, and having this little black bracelet on her wrist just felt right.

“Allmother, what could I do to thank you?” Alice turned around and fell to her knees before Frigga. Frigga ran a small hand through Alice’s hair and smiled down at the gracious girl.

“Love my son, that is all you can do.” Frigga said. Alice looked up and stood again, nodding eagerly.

“I will always love him.” Alice blushed. She kissed Frigga’s hands before excusing herself, turning away and heading out of the room. Now that she had her powers back, she felt her confidence surge within her once again. Alice held her head high as she paraded through the halls of the palace, insistent on where she wanted to go: Odin’s throne room.

The doors to Odin’s throne room were wide open, and Alice took advantage of that. She sucked in a deep breath of air as she walked through the golden archway and into the giant room. The guards that lined the room watched her through their helmets as she confidently strode through the room.

Odin’s eye was trained on her as she approached him. He was curious as to why she was here. She had always avoided him, and now she was presenting herself in his throne room with such fierceness. He lifted his eyebrow as Alice stopped in front of his throne, bowed, and stood back up with her back set straight.

“What brings you here, girl?” Odin said with his eye focused directly on her. His intense glare made Alice feel like she was an inch tall, but she did her best to uphold her confident demeanor.

“I would like to return to Midgard.” Alice said firmly as if she was leaving no room for Odin to even consider saying no. He tilted his head and a tiny smirk played at his lips.

“Have you had enough of Loki?” Odin lifted an eyebrow. Alice cleared her throat and shook her head, taking one step closer to the god. “I’ll admit, you lasted longer than I expected.”

“Not at all, I am quite in love with him.” Alice said. “However, since Thor and him have gone on their tour, I would like to temporarily visit Midgard.”

“Why should I let you go?” Odin asked with a sort of slyness in his tone. Alice looked directly at him with a sweet smile, trying her best to show him how much this would mean to her.

“Thor is the guardian protector of Midgard, yes? Well, while he is away, I feel it would be appropriate for me to travel there in order to oversee that everything is okay.”

“Midgard has enough guardians.” Odin sat back, smugness written all over his face. “What could you possibly do to help?”

“Well, this.” Alice smirked. She held her hand out flat and let a bright flame ignite in her palm. Odin leaned forward to watch the fire dance around her palm and between her fingers. “The Allmother has aided me in gaining my powers back.”

“Impressive, young girl.” Odin nodded. Alice let the fire distinguish from her hand while keeping her eyes trained on Odin.

“So, I ask again, may I return to Midgard until Loki returns?” Alice asked. Odin chuckled and leaned back again, and let his hand slowly slide down the staff in his right hand.

“I cannot permit this.” Odin said slowly. Alice took a step back and gasped. She clenched her jaw and fisted her hands. 

“And why not?” Alice asked. Odin stood from his throne and took a step down towards Alice. He laughed under his breath as he came closer to Alice.

“Because you are required to stay here, you know this.” Odin said firmly. 

“In order to keep Loki in line, yeah, I know.” Alice spat out. “But if you wanted that, then why am I not with him now?” 

“Leave me, I said no.” Odin waved his hand and started to walk back to his throne. Clearly, he didn’t have an answer for this. Alice walked closer to him, and she noticed the guards that lined the room starting to grow nervous. 

“All I want to do is see my friends! Is that so wrong?” Alice yelled. Odin paused and turned around slightly. He looked over his shoulder and shook his head. 

“I have no guarantee that you will return. There is no promise that Loki will not run away with you.” Odin banged his staff against the ground, causing the guards in the room to point their spears at Alice. She gave Odin a look that could kill as she backed away.

“Thank you for your time, your highness.” Alice said with acid in her voice. She gave a deep courtesy before exiting the room. 

Her heart was filled with anger and fire. She had never felt so upset before. She had done nothing wrong and Odin was still treating her as if she was dirt on the bottom of his boot. Everything inside of Alice was pounding, and she decided that she needed to relieve this anger in the only way she knew how.

Alice ran from the palace into the woods. She ducked through the trees and hopped over the rivers to find the place where she needed to go the most. After walking what felt like miles, Alice found the edge of the forest that hugged a huge mountain. As she made her final steps, Alice pressed in the code on her bracelet and let her new suit cover her body. Immediately, she felt like the most powerful woman alive. 

With a scream, Alice lifted her hands and willed her powers to break apart rocks at the base of the mountain. The rocks burst into tiny shards and flew around the field. She lit her hands up in flames and ignited the grass that laid at her feet, burning each blade to a crisp. The fire began to grow higher and higher, but it wasn’t enough. Alice then let the fire in her hands turn into gusts of air. From the air in her hands, she added its oxygen to the flames, making them shoot up past the trees. 

Alice sank to her knees and watched the fire dance around her. She felt its heat on her face as she let her tears fall freely. Why was she not allowed to leave even after so long? She was truly tied to this place even when Loki wasn’t. Alice used the last ounces of her energy to spray gusts of water onto the flames to cool them down and distinguish them. It felt so good to use her powers again, and she was so happy that she was still as strong as she used to be, but yet, she was broken.

“That was quite the spectacle.” Alice lifted her head at the voice that came from behind her. She wiped her tears and turned to see Heimdall standing over her. “So this is what you did on Midgard.”

“Yeah, pretty much.” Alice said with a weak smile. Heimdall held his hand out for Alice to take. She put her smaller hand in his as he helped her up. She dusted off her suit and noticed how right it felt to be wearing it again. Heimdall looked her up and down, then offered her a smile.

“The Allfather has forbid you to travel back home.” Heimdall said. Alice nodded as she let the bracelet consume her suit again, returning her back into her green dress. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I should have expected it, honestly.” Alice crossed her arms across her body as she surveyed the damage she had done around her. Tony would have been so proud of her strength.

“I can’t send you back there, since Odin has forbidden it.” Heimdall looked at the burnt grass. “But I can offer some help.”

“What do you mean?” Alice asked. She looked back up at Heimdall. His golden eyes flickered under the sparkling Asgardian sun. He glanced down at Alice, smirking.

“Would you like to see your friends again?” Heimdall questioned, although he already knew the answer. 

“Yes! Of course I would!” Alice gasped. Heimdall gestured towards the forest with a kind smile. No wonder why Loki and Thor loved him so much, he was much kinder than their own father.

“Well then, follow me, princess.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Odin is such a dick honestly, but Alice has her powers back! Yay! What do you think Heimdall is going to do to help Alice? And do you think everything will be okay with Loki and Thor?


	37. Welcome Home*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: NSFW Content! A summary will be posted at the end for those who do not want to read smut!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Comments and kudos are loved and appreciated, and thank you again for reading!
> 
> p.s. it's a bit of a longer chapter so enjoy!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 5803

Heimdall had led Alice back down the rainbow bridge and into the golden dome that she had first arrived in. The place still stunned her as she walked through the archway inside. Heimdall made his way up the few steps onto the pedestal that housed the sword that opened the bifrost. He dismissed a guard who was watching the sword, and gestured for Alice to come stand by him.

“What I’m about to do is momentarily pass my power onto you. I can only do this a few times, so take advantage of it while you can. This may tire you, but I feel that won’t bother you much.” Heimdall said. Alice giggled gleefully as she came up directly beside him. “Place your hands on the sword.”

Alice wrapped her hands around the handle of the sword. The metal was cold, but it seemed to melt into her touch. Heimdall walked around her and stood opposite of her in front of the sword. He placed his own hands over Alice’s, and shut his golden eyes.

“Who do you want to see?” Heimdall asked. Alice paused for a moment. There were so many people she wanted to check up on. But, of course, one name stood out in particular.

“Tony Stark.” Alice said. Heimdall smirked and nodded. Alice shut her eyes and waited. She felt a tingling beneath the palms of her hands, and suddenly, a surge of energy rushed through her. Alice opened her eyes, and it was as if she was back in Stark Tower.

Alice turned herself around and noticed that she was in one of Tony’s labs. She wandered through the room, taking in every detail. When she rounded a corner, she saw Tony hunched over a lab table.

“Tony!” Alice yelled with excitement, but he didn’t look up. He stayed completely still, as if she wasn’t even there.

“He can’t see you or hear you.” Alice heard Heimdall say. She turned around, but couldn’t find him. In a haunting way, she truly felt alone. Alice walked across the room and stood directly in front of Tony.

There were heavy bags under his eyes and his hands were shaking. She noticed three cups of empty coffee surrounding him. There was a thick stack of papers in front of him, and he seemed to be leafing through them slowly. 

“What’s wrong with him?” Alice asked Heimdall. She leaned over and saw Tony’s eyes red from crying. When she reached out to touch him, her hand just sliced through his body as if she was a ghost.

“He’s concerned.” Heimdall said into her ear. “He feels tremendous guilt.”

“Why?” Alice bit her lip. What had she missed when she was away? And why was no one else here in Tony’s lab? Normally, the tower was filled with life. 

“I cannot read his mind. I can only see what is happening at this moment.” Heimdall said regretfully. Tony looked up and stared directly at Alice. He squinted slightly, as if he could see her. She could see the stress that had made its way onto his face. His hair was slightly grayer under the fluorescent lights. He had more creases around his eyes and his face had sunk slightly. 

“What happened to you?” Alice whispered to no one but herself. Alice heard a door opening, and she noticed Tony shove the stack of papers into a drawer in his desk. She turned to see Steve walking into the lab.

“How are you, Tony?” Steve asked as he sat on the edge of the desk. Tony ran a hand down his face then leaned back in his chair. He laughed once before shaking his head.

“I’ve been better, Steve. I’ve been better.” Tony admitted. He reached behind him and pulled out another cup of coffee. Steve and Tony were practically brothers, and he could see through him too easily. He knew how much Alice’s absence had been affecting him. Tony hated being out of control of a situation.

“You miss her.” Steve said simply. Tony looked up at the blonde man and sighed. He sat forward and nodded, misery lining the stress marks on his face again.

“I just wish I could talk to her.” Tony said. “I just want to know that she’s okay wherever she is.”

“We all miss her. The only thing keeping Bucky sane is that Thor keeps assuring us that Alice is okay.” Steve smiled. Alice felt her heart tear into pieces. Even after so long they still missed her. Hearing their conversation made her even more angry at Odin for keeping her stuck here.

“I know it sounds crazy but I feel like she’s here.” Tony mumbled. “I probably just had too much coffee.” Tony glanced up to where Alice was standing. 

“I’m here, Tony.” She whispered, but he made no reaction. Steve shrugged and turned around on the desk, and stared at the space where Alice was. He lifted an eyebrow and shuffled around slowly.

“No, I feel it, too.” Steve said quietly. Alice stared into his blue eyes, begging him to be able to see her. Steve sighed and shook his head out before he turned back to look at Tony. “Wherever she is, you know that Thor and Loki are protecting her. She’s okay.”

“God, I never thought I’d say this but I’m glad she has Loki.” Tony grunted out a sarcastic laugh. Alice rolled her eyes. “He better be keeping her safe.”

“You know he is. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her and neither would Thor.” Steve looked down at his pants. He couldn’t deny the feeling of longing he felt for their presence, too. 

“I have half a mind to build my own fucking rainbow bridge to go to Asgard and bring her home.” Tony scoffed. Alice laughed at the thought, mostly because it would be completely in Tony’s character to follow through with something like that. Steve smiled and placed a hand on Tony’s shoulder.

“She’ll be back, Tony.” Steve turned his head back to where Alice was standing. He paused, and Alice could see something register in his eyes. He stared directly at her, and for just a moment, he swore he could see her green eyes staring back at him. A beautiful smile graced his face as Steve nodded nodded. “I know it.”

Suddenly, the lab transformed back into the golden dome that Alice and Heimdall were standing in. Alice gasped and released her grip from the sword. She stumbled backwards and toppled off of the pedestal, landing on her ass. She looked up at Heimdall with tears in her eyes.

“That was amazing.” Alice smiled through her tears. Heimdall reached down to help her up. Alice dusted off her dress and placed her hands on the sword again. “Please, show me more! Let me see where Loki is!”

“I’m sorry, princess. That’s enough. I don’t want to drain your energy completely.” Heimdall chuckled. Alice huffed and released the sword. She let her eyes wander back to Heimdall’s.

“Then at least tell me how Loki is.” Alice whispered. Heimdall looked upwards, and Alice could see the golden sparkles dance in his eyes. 

“He’s dining with Thor.” Heimdall said, his deep voice almost sounding like an echo. “He’s laughing and smiling. They’re talking about you.”

Alice felt her heart double in size for multiple reasons. First, her best friend and her lover were safe. They were having a good time. They were eating and laughing. Then, she was happy because he was still thinking about her. His heart was set on her like hers was set on him. They truly did complete each other, and somehow, this knowledge made Alice think that these next few weeks would go by easier.

 

**

 

Alice had rarely left Heimdall’s side for the next few weeks. She was constantly lounging in his dome, leaning on the steps of his pedestal and begging him to check on her friends. He would always laugh, tell her that she is an irritating distraction from his job, then proceed to do exactly as she asked. He felt bad for her and Alice could tell that.

Heimdall didn’t pass his powers onto her much because he knew the toll it would take on her fragile body, but he always told her how people were doing. He would paint a vivid picture for her of where they were or what they were saying. Even though she couldn’t physically see them, she felt better knowing that they were still going about their typical lives. It made everything feel more normal to her, somehow. 

Even when Heimdall assured Alice that Loki was okay, she still found herself worrying. The days seemed to drag on slower than paint drying, and she was beginning to believe he would never come back. So, she stayed by Heimdall. And on the off chance that something did happen, he promised her that he would make sure she could go help. 

But finally, after almost three weeks, Alice woke up to the sound of bustling maids. The door to Loki’s chambers swung open, and three young maids shuffled in. Alice shot up in bed at their arrival.

“Princess!” One of the maids squealed. Alice had seen her around before, and she was one of the kindest women she had ever met. “The princes are returning!”

“What?” Alice jumped out of bed, not caring that the maids would see her in her Midgardian sleepwear instead of the elegant nightgowns they left for her every night. 

“Yes! They’ll be home shortly!” The maid said excitedly. “Come! We must get you ready!”

A second maid came up to Alice and began to pamper her. She would be lying if she said she hated this part of being on Asgard, because it was truly spectacular being cared for like this. From the first moment that Loki had regained his power, he had instructed to treat Alice as if she was to be the future queen. They were hesitant at first, but Loki was insistent. After only a week, Alice had maids fawning over her wherever she went, and if she didn’t want to lift a single finger, then she never would need to. 

The maids could tell how eager Alice was to see Loki again, and they made sure they were quick with getting her ready. Her legs were trembling as she listened to the crowds gathering outside the palace. The cries of excitement were getting louder, and Alice was rearing to go. With the last final touch that the maid gave her, Alice sprinted off. She could hear the cheers growing outside, and she knew that the princes had just entered into the city.

“Fuck this!” Alice laughed. She placed her palms out behind her, and shot out a blast of air. It shot her through the halls faster than her legs could have carried her. When she reached the doors of the palace, she cut off the air stream coming from her palms and pushed her way out the front door. The crowds were massive as they stood before Odin and Frigga. Alice quickly adjusted her dress as she stood next to Frigga, her chest heaving from the excitement.

The crowds began to part as Thor and Loki came into view. The princes were both smiling and waving to everyone as their horses carried them down the path to the palace. It took every ounce of restraint in Alice’s body to not run up the street and jump into Loki’s arms. She tapped her foot nervously on the ground as she waited for Loki to finally see her.

After waving to the crowds around them, Loki turned his head towards the palace, and his heart skipped a beat. There she was, the girl who he had been craving for weeks, standing among the golden arches of the palace wearing his colors. Loki kicked his horse so he could get to her faster. He couldn’t wait a second longer to have her back in his arms.

“Go ahead.” Frigga whispered into Alice’s ear. Alice looked over to Frigga to see the Queen smiling at her with a knowing look. “Go to him.”

Alice didn’t need to be told twice. She picked up the skirt of her dress so she could run down the street to him. Loki hopped off his horse and ran to her, taking her into his arms the moment he got to her. Alice melted into his embrace, and every ounce of worry and concern dripped off of her. Loki was home, and he was safe, and that was all that mattered to her anymore. 

“You’re home.” Alice whispered against Loki’s leather breastplate. She felt his lips brush over the crown of her head. “You’re okay.”

“Yes, my love.” Loki pressed a kiss to the top of her head before pulling back slightly. He placed a finger under her chin so he could look into her eyes. They were capturing the light of the sun and reflecting it in tiny green sparkles. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“I missed you.” Alice whimpered. She leaned up to press her lips to Loki’s, wanting nothing more than to just feel him. She didn’t care about the crowds that were gathering around them. They felt like the only two people in the world as they kissed each other. Every broken moment apart was pushed away as they held each other in the middle of the street. Every shed tear over loneliness and every sleepless night slipped away as their lips melded together in a sensual and romantic dance. 

“My room, now.” Loki practically growled against her lips. It was just quiet enough that no one but Alice could hear those daring words. “It’s been far too long since I’ve had you.” Loki pulled away and grabbed Alice’s hand so he could lead her back into the palace. Yet, they didn’t get far before Frigga placed a hand on Loki’s shoulder to stop him.

“Not so fast, my son. We must discuss what happened during your travels.” Frigga scolded him. Loki rolled his eyes and pulled Alice against the side of his body. Every second that they weren’t touching felt like a lifetime after the weeks they had spent apart.

“Must this occur now? Can it not wait an hour or so?” Loki questioned. Frigga shook her head and placed an arm around Loki’s shoulders, hugging him against her.

“I fear that if I leave you two alone, it may be more than just an hour before I see you again.” Frigga winked. Alice’s cheeks burned up in a scorching blush at Frigga’s words. She groaned and let her eyes fall to the ground. Loki chuckled and pressed a chaste kiss to Alice’s head again.

“Fine, but let us be quick. I have others matters to tend to.” Loki pulled away from Frigga and let his lips linger next to Alice’s ear. “Return to my room. After this meeting is done, you are all mine.” Loki kissed Alice’s neck just below her ear before letting her go. He winked at her and gestured for his mother to lead the way. 

 

**

 

Alice couldn’t wait for Loki to return. She had hurried back to his room, eager to be with him again. Once she got into the room, she decided to give him a small surprise. 

“Let’s make this easier for you, shall we?” Alice muttered to herself. She crossed the room to Loki’s closet and opened the doors. She entered the room and looked around at everything hanging. Different uniforms and leather armor lined the walls, but that wasn’t what she was looking for. Alice crossed the room and pulled out a small drawer in the corner of the closet. Inside of it were a collection of the dress shirts that Loki used to wear back on Midgard. Each one was silky and soft, crisp and clean. He hadn’t worn them since they had come to Asgard, but Alice could tell he thoroughly enjoyed all of those suits. There was obviously a reason why he kept them. Alice pulled out a white button up and collected it into her arms.

After leaving the closet and closing the doors behind her, she stripped out of her dress completely. She stared at herself in the mirror, her naked body in display for whoever wanted to waltz in. She kicked her dress away from where it pooled at her feet and disposed of it onto one of the couches in the room. Alice slid Loki’s dress shirt over her arms and shoulders, letting the smooth fabric sit on her skin gently. She left the buttons open in the front, leaving her chest exposed for Loki. She knew how much he used to love seeing her in his clothes back home. It filled him with pride and protectiveness, and it was one of the things that set him off quicker than anything.

And Alice waited like that for almost an hour. She sat on his bed, staring at the door. She had hoped that maybe staring at it would cause the golden doors to swing open and reveal Loki. Yet, she waited. She didn’t mind it. She knew he was doing something important, something political, but that didn’t curve her arousal. She just wanted him here.

When the doors finally swung open, Alice sat up straighter and let her legs stretch out longer. If this was a maid coming in, she would surely be embarrassed, but everyone knew what they did. Loki made sure Alice was loud enough about it at night. But it was Loki, and the moment he saw Alice sitting in his shirt, she could see him stiffening in his leather trousers.

“What have you got there?” Loki smirked as he shut the door behind him. Alice stood up and walked over to him slowly. She brushed her fingertips over the white cloth that covered her arms. Alice rolled her shoulders as she stood a few feet away from Loki, beckoning him to make the next move.

“One of your dress shirts from Midgard. I miss seeing you in those suits.” Alice hummed. Loki lifted an eyebrow and a green light washed over him. His green and gold leather armor transformed into his all black suit that he wore when he told Alice he loved her. Alice’s lips parted at the sight of him. She couldn’t just stand there, so she came forward. Alice brushed her hand down the black tie that sat on Loki’s chest. “Yeah, I missed this.”

“It’s easier to take off, is it not?” Loki winked. Alice looked up into Loki’s eyes. His pupils were dilated from the lust that ran through his veins. Alice pulled on Loki’s tie so she could press her lips to his. Loki’s hands immediately went to Alice’s hips. His thumbs ran circles over her hips as he pulled her body against his. His cock was hard as it poked against Alice’s body. She moaned at the feeling and let her hand move down to cup his clothed cock.

“Fuck me, Loki. I need you to fuck me.” Alice whined as she rubbed her hand over his crotch. Loki’s hips bucked against her touch. His head rolled back. Her touch was intoxicating, and he needed more.

“That was the plan.” Loki chuckled. Alice slid herself down to her knees and unbuckled Loki’s black belt. She shoved his pants down and quickly took his length into her mouth. She moaned around him, the salty taste was sweet on the tip of her tongue. Her hand wrapped around the base of his cock, tugging at whatever she couldn’t fit into her mouth.

Loki tangled his hands in Alice’s hair, pushing her mouth up and down his cock. Her eyes were beginning to fill with tears as she looked up at him through her eyelashes. Loki bit his lip as he tightened his grip in her hair. Alice moaned around him at the sensation of her hair being pulled, causing Loki’s thighs to shake with arousal.

“Such a sinful mouth. So good at pleasuring me.” Loki groaned. He refused to take his eyes off Alice as she bobbed her head over his cock. “You’re going to make me cum if you keep this up.”

Alice pulled off of Loki’s cock with a pop. She smirked up at him as she lazily pumped him with her hands. 

“That’s the whole idea, sir.” Alice winked before placing her lips back over the tip of his cock. Her tongue danced over the crown and dipped into the slit. She flattened her tongue on the underside of his cock as she took him deep down her throat. Loki felt her gag as his cock hit the back of her throat. His grip on her hair was beginning to become painful, but Alice didn’t care. It only added to her arousal. Alice moaned around Loki’s cock, and it sent him over the edge. He shot into her mouth with a shout, causing Alice to choke slightly on all his cum. It dribbled out of her mouth, but she licked it all up, and swallowed it.

“You are the most incredible specimen I have ever known.” Loki growled as he pulled Alice up. “I need to taste you.”

Loki placed his hands on Alice’s stomach and began pushing her back onto the bed. When she fell against the mattress, Loki ran his hands up and down her body, feeling every inch of her exposed skin. He marveled at the way his shirt fell across her body. It made her look so tiny. A wave of possessiveness washed over him as he stared down at her. Loki leaned in and began biting at Alice’s neck, hoping to leave bruises all along her skin. He wanted everyone to know who was giving her all this pleasure.

After leaving several bruises along her neck, Loki began kissing his way down her body. He stopped at her breasts so he could circle her nipples with his tongue and take the perky buds in between his lips. Then, he let his mouth brush over her stomach and down to her core, where he licked a fat stripe up her pussy, leaving no room for teasing.

“Going straight in for it?” Alice gasped out. Loki wrapped his hands around her thighs as he dove into her. His tongue lapped her up like she was the finest nectar. His tongue circled her clit, flicking at it with no mercy. His lips then tightened around the little bud and suckled at it, causing Alice’s back to arch off the bed. His shirt fell around her and pooled underneath her like wings. Loki thought it was fitting, she truly did look like an angel. Loki pulled away and let his fingers trace over Alice’s slick folds. Her whines were filling the air, and Loki wanted everyone to be able to hear it. Carefully, Loki slipped a finger into Alice and began curling it inside her.

“Tell me, Alice, how many times did you touch yourself when I was away?” Loki purred. His eyes never left her as she ran her hands over her chest. Her fingers were playing with her nipples as Loki fingered her. Her cheeks were red and her neck was flushed.

“A lot.” Alice admitted. Loki chuckled and sucked a bruise onto the inside of Alice’s thigh. She yelped at the contact, and the stinging pain of Loki’s teeth just caused her to get even wetter. As he nipped at her thigh, Loki inserted another finger into her, pumping them quicker.

“And what did you think about?” Loki asked as he curled his fingers in her. Alice’s back arched off the bed again. She tossed her head back and her moans filled the room.

“You, sir.” Alice said softly. Loki pinched her thigh and shook his head.

“Be more specific.” Loki commanded. Alice lifted her head slightly so she could look down at Loki while he fingered her. She was feeling herself near the edge and all she wanted was to cum. But she knew Loki would dangle her orgasm right in front of her without letting her have it if she didn’t answer his question.

“I touched myself thinking about you fucking me against the wall.” Alice bit her lip as her cheeks went red. She saw Loki’s eyes widen at her words. “I thought about you fucking me so hard that I cried. I wanted you to leave marks all over me and make it so hard to walk that every time I moved, I felt what you had done to me.”

“Show me.” Loki pulled away with a smirk. Alice lifted her head up with raised eyebrows.

“W-What?” Alice stuttered. Loki crossed his arms over his chest and pointed his chin to Alice’s wet core.

“Show me how you played with yourself.” Loki said again. Alice nodded, knowing that disobeying him would result in her having a very red ass. She ran her hands down her body, leaving one to cup her breasts and then other to play with her folds. Alice sighed at the contact. Her fingers danced around her clit. She gasped at her own contact, and whined the sweetest noise that Loki had ever heard.

“Loki. Oh, Loki.” Alice moaned as she inserted two fingers into herself. They were nothing compared to Loki. Loki bit his lip as he watched her. His cock was completely erect as he stroked it in his hand. Alice continued to pump her fingers in and out of each other, whining Loki’s name like a prayer. Her other hand teased her nipple in between her fingers, and Loki could tell that by the way her body was shaking, she was getting close.

“Beautiful girl. I wish I could’ve watched you bring yourself to the edge every time you did this.” Loki growled. Alice opened her eyes and winked at him. Her cheeks were completely flush and Loki could see the daze of her impending orgasm twinkle in her eyes.

“They were never as good as the ones you give me, sir.” Alice moaned. Loki took in a sharp intake of air, and decided that enough was enough. He pulled Alice’s hand away from her pussy, and dropped his head down so he could lick Alice’s little bud. He inserted his fingers back in her, and pumped them in and out harder than before. Her screams heightened as he fucked her with his fingers faster. Alice couldn’t hold herself back anymore, and she let her orgasm consume her. Her vision went spotty as she came down from her high. She felt Loki wrap his arms around her and carry her through the room. She wrapped her legs around his, now naked, body. Her back was pressed against something cool as he held onto her.

“Come back to me, my love.” Loki said. Alice’s eyelids fluttered before she finally focused on him. She gave him a sweet smile and nuzzled into his neck. Loki kissed her shoulder as he proper her up against the wall. “I’m not done with you, dove. Put your hands above your head.”

Alice lifted her hands and folded them above her head. She felt something tingle around her wrists while holding her up. Loki took a step back, and that’s when Alice realized that he had magically bound her to the wall. She tugged at the restraints holding her wrists above her head, but they wouldn’t budge.

“Proud of yourself?” Alice winked. Loki chuckled as he surveyed his lover. He nodded once, his cock at full attention as he looked her over.

“You look marvelous.” Loki noted. He ran his hand over his chin as he stared at her. He could look at her all day like this. Alice rolled her eyes and pushed her chest out slightly, hoping to entice him.

“Then come here and fuck me.” Alice giggled. Loki smirked and walked his way over to her. He ran his hands down her sides and gripped her hips. He adjusted her legs, and teased her hole with the tip of his cock. Alice groaned and pushed her hips down. With one smooth motion, Loki fully seated himself inside of her.

Loki wasted no time going to town on her. He wrapped one hand around her hip and the other around her neck. Alice gasped at the feeling of his cold hand touching the bruises on her neck, but she loved it. Loki snapped his hips with passion, wanting to make sure he fucked Alice like she deserved: hard, fast, deep. 

“Oh fuck.” Alice moaned as Loki pulled her hips closer to him for a better angle. He snapped his cock in and out of her tight hole, feeling her wetness growing. His hand tightened around her neck slightly, but with no intention of hurting her.

“You’re so tight for me. You’re always so tight.” Loki groaned. Sweat began to bead on his forehead as he pushed himself into her. His thrusts were deep and heavy, and Alice could already feel her second orgasm chasing after her. “Is this what you wanted, Alice? To be fucked against this wall?”

“Yes, sir!” Alice moaned. Her walls were beginning to clench around Loki’s thick cock. Loki moaned and snapped his hips as fast as he could into her. His grip tightened on her hip, and Alice could already feel the bruise beginning to form under his thumb.

“Touch yourself, darling. I need to see that again.” Loki let his hand fall away from Alice’s neck. He waved his hand, and one of Alice’s arms fell. She moved her hand down her body and began to circle her clit with her fingers. 

“Loki, please, I’m close.” Alice whined as she worked over her clit with two fingers. Loki stared down at her center. His cock was thrusting into her and her fingers were dancing over her clit. This was a vision, and Loki wanted to remember every moment of it. He glanced back up at Alice’s face to see her eyes screwed shut and her lip between her teeth, both telltale signs that she was holding back the urge to cum. Loki moved his hand down to her clit and played with her over Alice’s own fingers. Alice’s eyes snapped open as she let out the most angelic moan Loki had ever heard.

“Go ahead, my dear. Cum for me, give me your pleasure.” Loki moaned as he kissed Alice’s collarbone. Alice’s walls clenched around Loki’s cock as she fell over the edge of pleasure again. Her orgasm hit her like a ton of bricks as her body began shaking against the wall. She called out Loki’s name as she rode out her orgasm, feeling the high tingle from her head to her toes. Her moans and her tight clenching caused Loki to release into her, his cum filling her up and dribbling out of her hole. When Loki pulled out after a few moments, he made sure to clean her up with the cloth he always conjured. He looked up at Alice’s face, admiring how beautiful she was in her post-sex bliss. The tears that had fallen from her eyes were drying on her flushed cheeks. He could look at her forever.

Loki helped Alice down from the wall and gathered her into his arms. He carried her over to the couch and curled up with her. He pressed light kisses up and down her cheeks and ran his cool fingertips over the bruises on her neck and hips.

“Did I hurt you?” Loki whispered to her. Alice shook her head and curled further into him. She pressed a soft kiss to his bare chest and smiled.

“You could never.” Alice chuckled. She shivered against him, her naked body always cold after sex. Loki waved his hand, and a pair of Alice’s warm pajamas covered her, and a pair of his own sweatpants covered him. Alice looked up at Loki and thanked him. She always appreciated the little things he did for her.

Loki and Alice decided to stay in his room for the rest of the day. They didn’t want to be bothered with the politics of the palace. They ate curled up together, Alice napped peacefully against his chest (which was her first peaceful sleep since he had left), and they fucked twice more. Now that the sun had set, Alice was feeling the chill of the night time breeze tingle her skin. Loki had gotten up to close the doors to the balcony, and made his way over to the fireplace to ignite it. That’s when Alice realized that she never showed Loki what had happened to her.

“Hey, Loki?” Alice said. Loki turned around from his spot in front of the unlit fireplace. He raised a quizzical eyebrow in her direction, signaling her to ask whatever she planned on asking. “May I light the fireplace?”

“Of course, my rose.” Loki said with confusion. Alice lifted her hand and bit her lip. Then, she lit a fire on her fingertips and shot it into the fire. Loki’s eyes widened as he waited for her to begin to writhe in pain. Yet, it never happened. She simply sat there with the biggest smile on her face. “How did you…?”

“Surprise!” Alice winked. Loki ran over to her and picked her up from the couch. He spun her around and held her against his body. He kissed all over her face as he twirled her in the air.

“You have your powers back! Oh, Allfathers, thank you!” Loki cheered. He placed Alice down and kissed her. He cupped her face with his hands and let his lips mold to hers. He was so happy that she had gotten her powers back, but how? Loki pulled away and ran his hands down her face. “How is this possible?”

“Frigga was able to get the serum out of me. It was quite painful, but well worth it.” Alice smiled.

“My rose, I have never been happier than I have been in this moment.” Loki pressed his forehead against hers. “I love you.”

“I love you, Loki, so much.” Alice pressed her lips to Loki’s. It was slow and it was soft, but it held every emotion they were feeling.

Everything felt right again. Alice had her powers back and Loki was home. He was safe and he loved her. Thor was safe. Heimdall had shown Alice a way to make sure everyone back home was okay. Things finally felt like they were falling into place.

And yet, as Alice stood there in Loki’s arms, she couldn’t help but feel that something was about to go terribly wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary: Heimdall passes his power onto Alice so she can go back to Stark Tower and see Tony and Steve (though she isn't really there, she can just see and hear them). She swears that Steve can see her, and she is eager to "visit" everyone else. Heimdall shows her Loki, helping calm her worries. Three weeks later, Loki returns home and makes love to Alice. She's so happy that he's home and shows him her powers again. He's so thankful that she's okay again, and is more than happy for her. However, as Alice holds him while he's thanking the gods for her powers returning, she can't help but feel something is about to go terribly wrong.
> 
> *
> 
> Wow! So Loki's okay! And it seems our Avengers are doing just fine. But, what do you think Tony was looking at that he didn't want Steve to see? Do you think Steve and Tony really saw her for a second? Also, what the HELL does Alice think is going to happen? I hope you guys liked this chapter, it was quite fun to write!


	38. Say Yes*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: NSFW content! (it's very short, however, so you can easily skip through it if you don't want to read it!)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! This chapter was really fun to write, especially the ending! So, I hope you enjoy, and comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated. Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 5489

“Bucky.” Alice whispered. “Show me Bucky Barnes.”

Alice and Loki were standing in Heimdall’s dome, watching the man survey the nine realms. When Alice had told Loki that Heimdall had gifted her with knowledge of Midgard, Loki was insistent that he join her in going. He would never admit it, but his heart ached to be back on Midgard. He was more free there as a prisoner than he was on Asgard as a prince.

Heimdall rolled his shoulders, and let his sight fly across the universe. Alice waited patiently, her hands interlocked with Loki’s. They watched the tall man carefully, examining his every move as if it would indicate what he would say.

“Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers are training.” Heimdall smirked. “They’re practicing in the tower.”

“Steve’s definitely kicking his ass.” Loki chuckled. Alice narrowed her eyes at Loki’s comment.

“No way. Bucky’s winning! Steve would never hurt Bucky.” Alice scoffed. Loki rolled his eyes and directed his attention to Heimdall, who was clearly amused at their conversation.

“And I thought you would never hurt me, and yet you bested me at training anyway.” Loki grinned as he pressed a kiss to Alice’s hair. She giggled and turned more towards him so she could look at him with a wink.

“You should know better than to trust a cute face, my prince.” Alice hummed as she reached up to kiss him. “You and Steve seem to need some educating in this.”

“Oh, please. Who is succeeding at this fight?” Loki asked over Alice’s shoulder. Heimdall tilted his head and paused. A few moments of silence passed before a smile broke out onto his face.

“Bucky.” Heimdall said. Alice poked Loki in the ribs and laughed. 

“I told you.” Alice winked. Loki wrapped his arm around her and pressed a kiss to her temple. Alice leaned into his touch, enjoying the feeling of his cool lips brushing against her skin.

“Of course you did.” Loki kissed her once more. He cleared his throat then looked back up at Heimdall. “One last one before we leave. Heimdall, could you check on Peter Parker?”

“Peter?” Alice looked at Loki with wide eyes. A sad expression made its way onto Loki’s face. He looked down at his boots and nodded.

“He’s a good kid.” Loki shrugged. He pushed his foot around the ground, hating the feeling of weakness that filled his chest. “He’s very brave.”

“I bet he misses you too, Loki.” Alice smiled softly. Loki looked into her eyes, and he could tell that she meant it. Loki had a very special relationship with Peter. Peter had always been fascinated in Loki, and never once thought of him as the bad guy. He was a young kid, and yet he had put his life on the line to save Alice, twice. It was something that Loki could never thank him enough for, but the least he could do right now was make sure that he was okay.

“The boy is fine. He’s in Spanish class.” Heimdall laughed. “He’s distracted by a pretty girl.”

“Oh, I cannot wait to tease him about that.” Alice giggled. 

“Thank you, Heimdall.” Loki said, placing a hand on Heimdall’s shoulder. He patted his hand down twice before leading Alice down the pedestal. When the couple turned around to leave the dome, they noticed Frigga and a few guards walking up the bridge. 

“Loki, Alice. Good to see you.” Frigga said as she neared them. Alice noticed that her normal elegant dress was replaced with traveling clothes. 

“Allmother, where are you going?” Alice asked. Frigga gave Alice a chastising look for calling her by her official title, but then smiled and adjusted the hood of her cloak so it rested on top of her head. The guards circled around her, making sure that every side of her was being protected.

“I must travel to Alfheim for a few days.” Frigga looked at Loki. “The elves don’t seem to trust Loki’s allegiance just yet.”

“I did everything in my power to convince them but they still had their doubts.” Loki rolled his eyes. “Even the mighty Thor couldn’t persuade them.”

“Yes, so I must travel there and convince them of it since they seem to trust my judgement more.” Frigga chuckled. “I will see you soon.”

Frigga leaned in and kissed Loki’s cheek. She paused, then pulled him into a tight hug. Loki slowly wrapped his arms around her and pressed his head into her neck. Alice watched them with happiness. She knew how much Frigga meant to Loki, and seeing them together filled her heart with joy. Frigga then gave Alice a soft kiss on the forehead and a gentle hug before entering the bifrost with her guards.

“She’ll be okay.” Alice reached out to hold Loki’s hand. His eyebrows were creased and he was biting his lip. Loki wasn’t nervous often, but when he was, it was quite clear. And right now, Alice could see quite easily that he was worried for his mother.

“Yeah, I hope.” 

 

**

 

Loki could tell how much Alice missed home. Whenever she would visit Heimdall, her eyes would sparkle when he would mention Tony, Steve, and the others. A part of Loki felt tremendously guilty for what she had to go through here. He knew that this was his fault. 

It had been a week since Frigga had left, and Loki had noticed that Alice had wandered more and more to Heimdall than she had in the past. He could tell that she was jealous of him, Thor, and Frigga. She had watched them leave Asgard so easily, and yet she was stuck here. At least Heimdall was able to show her a glimpse of what was happening back at home, and ease her concerns over the people she had come to call family.

He could tell that Alice was itching to go home based on the little things she had done. She asked Loki to wear a suit the other night, which was something that she hadn’t asked before. She talked about teasing Peter when she got back to Midgard. She even began using her powers more and practicing with them, trying to improve them for when she would be able to return home. He had even seen her trying out the new functions of her suit in private. Loki knew that she missed Midgard, and she would never admit that to him. She knew that telling him how much she longed for Midgard would make Loki feel guilty.

But Loki could see that her smiles were getting smaller. Her laugh was a bit more distant. She was glad she was with Loki, but he could sense that maybe he wasn’t enough for her anymore. 

Loki wanted to be able to provide that comfort for her. He wanted to assure her that even here, she had a home. She had a home in him and she could always trust him to care for her. So, he decided that he needed to show her this in the only way he knew how: with his magic.

Alice had been off with Thor for the day, and Loki knew this was the perfect opportunity to do what he had wanted for her. It would take a lot of energy for him to do this perfectly, and even more energy to hold it. But, he needed this to be perfect, and he would settle for nothing less than that. So if it meant wearing out all his energy to see Alice smile even just for a moment, well, it would be worth it.

Hours later, Thor had decided to escort Alice back to Loki’s room. He knew what Loki had been planning, and he agreed that it would be a wonderful idea to surprise her. He could see the way that Alice longed for home. Thor would be lying if he said that he had never thought of smuggling Alice back to Midgard, or even bringing someone from Midgard here. He knew Odin would have his head for it, and he didn’t want to risk Alice’s safety. So, Thor stayed quiet, and passed on messages from the Avengers to her. It was enough to keep her sated, but even he could see that after all this time, she was becoming anxious.

“Here we are, princess. Your humble abode.” Thor smiled as they reached Loki’s door. Alice rolled her eyes.

“Humble? In this palace? Impossible.” Alice giggled. Her laughter faded away as she looked down at her dress. “Are you going back to Midgard any time soon?”

“Not while Mother is gone.” Thor sighed. “Heimdall hasn’t alerted me to any danger that I’m needed to amend, either.” Thor looked at Alice. He could see the smile had left her face, leaving her with a look of longing. He knew she was happy here because she had Loki, but it was clear she would be happier if she could just do what she wanted to. “I’m so sorry, Alice. I wish I could do something to help you.”

“Just make sure Tony is okay next time you go. He seems very anxious whenever Heimdall watches him.” Alice admitted. Thor nodded and placed his large hand on Alice’s cheek. 

“You have my word.” Thor smiled. “Now go get some rest. I can tell our training wore you out.” 

“Oh, never.” Alice winked. “I think I wore you out!” Alice called after Thor as he turned his back and walked away. Thor looked over his shoulder with a smirk.

“Don’t let Loki hear that, he might take it the wrong way.” Thor laughed as he turned the corner. Alice rolled her eyes and turned to the golden door that was the gateway to Loki’s room. She pushed open the door, and her jaw dropped.

Loki’s room had…changed. It looked exactly like her room back in Stark Tower. Her bed was the same, she could see the door to her bathroom was the same. Every detail was exactly the same. Alice reached her hand out to touch the soft white sheets on the bed, and gasped when her fingers managed to actually feel the surface. She turned around and rushed to the dresser. She ran her fingers over the dark wood, and let out a yelp when her fingers hit the surface.

Alice felt a tingling sensation wash over her body. She looked down to see her emerald dress transforming back into her jeans from home. Alice ran her hands over the material, her fingertips tingling at the sensation of the denim under her hand.

“Do you like it?” Alice heard Loki say. She turned around and saw him wearing a crisp black suit with a white dress shirt and a green tie. Alice blushed as she looked at him.

“How did you do this?” Alice asked as she walked into Loki’s open arms. “I thought your seidr could only make illusions.”

“I’ve been practicing this for a while, my dear.” Loki kissed Alice’s temple. “I know I can’t bring you home physically, but I tried to find a way to bring home to you.”

Alice cupped her hands on Loki’s cheeks. She could see how tired he was in his eyes. She could see how much energy he had put into this. Alice reached up and pressed her lips to his slowly. She kissed him, taking her time with everything. She had nowhere to be. 

“I love it. I love you.” Alice whispered against his lips. Loki wrapped his arms around her and pulled her directly against his body.

“I can’t hold this illusion for long if you distract me like this.” Loki groaned. Alice ran her hands down Loki’s chest and adjusted his tie. He looked so dashing. Alice glanced up at Loki’s face, and she could see his face growing paler as he struggled to keep the physical aspects of the room intact. His eyes were duller as he looked down at her.

“Why did you do all this? I can literally see the energy draining from your face.” Alice brushed her fingertips across Loki’s hollowed cheeks. He brought her hands in front of his face and pressed gentle kisses to Alice’s hands.

“I want to make you happy.” Loki mumbled as he brushed his thin lips across her fingers. “You aren’t happy here. I see the way you long for Midgard. I want to make you happy but I can’t. This was the only way I could see your beautiful smile again.”

“Oh, Loki, no that’s not it!” Alice pushed her finger under Loki’s chin so he would look at her. Her heart dropped at the look in his eyes. Loki was never one to show his weakness. But here and now, Alice could see every ounce of guilt pent up in him. Tears hung in the corners of his eyes. Alice swiped her thumbs under Loki’s eyes. “Do I miss home? Of course. But I’m here with you. I’m with the person I love more than anything. I get to sleep in a bed and eat fabulous food. I get to have amazing sex almost every day. I get to see you flourish. I have my powers back, and I couldn’t be more thankful for that. I get to hang out with Thor and Sif and the Warriors Three. Your mother is nothing but kind to me. I am happy, Loki. I’m happy because of you.”

“It’s my fault that you’re stuck here, Alice.” Loki closed his eyes and leaned into Alice’s touch. She continued to stroke over his cheeks with her thumbs. “This is all my fault.”

“Look at our options, darling. I could either be here with you, still with the Organization, or dead.” Alice leaned in and pressed a kiss to the tip of Loki’s nose. “You used the tesseract to save me. You risked your freedom to save my life. How could I ever be angry at you for that?”

Loki moved his hands up to wrap around Alice’s. He brought them to his lips and pressed soft kisses along her knuckles. 

“I love you.” Loki muttered against her hands. Alice reached up and pressed another kiss to the tip of his chilly nose. When she pulled back, she could see a small, rosy blush covering Loki’s cheeks.

“I love you, Loki. Now let this illusion go, it’s making you tired.” Alice giggled. Loki smiled weakly, his energy wearing down by the moment.

“You don’t want to stay in your make shift room?” Loki asked. Alice shook her head with a large smile.

“No, Loki. I’d rather be here with you.” Alice said. Loki pulled away and lifted his hand up. He shut his eyes tightly and let the room around them fade away to show his room. Alice’s clothing faded to his dress, but Loki’s suit still stayed. When Loki opened his eyes, he was surprised to find Alice’s lip in between her teeth. “So the suit was real?”

“Very much so.” Loki smirked. “I’ll admit, I grew fond of them on Midgard.” He said as he ran his hands over the material. Alice hummed and nodded as she stepped in front of him again.

“So did I.” Alice smiled. She pulled on Loki’s tie and brought his lips to hers. They were cooler than normal against her skin, and Alice knew that was from the energy that was drained from Loki’s body. She ran her hands up his arms and cupped his shoulders. Loki groaned against her as he kissed her. She felt too good against him. Loki brushed his lips over her jaw and down her neck. He kissed the column of her throat as his arms wrapped around her waist.

“Let me make love to you.” Loki whispered against Alice’s neck. She nodded quickly. Loki pulled her over to the couch, stripping her dress in the process. He pulled Alice on top of him as he fell down onto the couch. Alice fumbled with Loki’s jacket as she pressed her lips to his again. Loki shed his jacket as Alice moved her hands to his green tie.

Alice’s head was spinning as she kissed Loki. She was trying to get his clothes off as fast as possible. She was desperate to have him. Alice mentally slapped herself for being so eager. They had just fucked that morning in the bath, and yet, here she was, literally gagging for it.

“Are you still prepped from before?” Loki asked as he slid his hand down to Alice’s center. His fingers ran over her folds, teasing her clit. Her core was dripping wet already. Loki smirked at the feeling of her wetness covering his fingers, and to think that it was only from kissing him. 

“Yes, yes I am. Please just fuck me.” Alice groaned. Loki inserted two fingers into her and pumped them in and out just to be sure. His fingers slid easily within her, signaling that she was ready to take his cock. Loki slipped his fingers out and undid the belt of his pants. Alice whined at how long he was taking, and moved her lips to kiss his neck. Loki’s fingers fumbled with his pants as Alice kissed his neck. Her touch drove him crazy and he couldn’t think straight with her kissing him like that.

Finally, Loki was able to kick his pants off and free his cock from its confinements. He held it directly up and signaled to Alice that he was ready. She lifted her lips from Loki’s neck and adjusted herself so she could sink down onto his cock. When his head entered her, Alice sighed happily. She sunk down so her ass rested against Loki’s thighs and wrapped her arms around Loki’s neck.

“You always feel so good in me.” Alice chuckled as if she was high. She began to roll her hips against Loki. His hands went to grab her ass, pushing and pulling the soft flesh of her cheeks around. Alice gasped and began to ride him faster.

Loki slid down on the couch so he could angle his hips better. His cock dove even further into Alice as he adjusted himself, causing the girl to squeal above him. Loki’s hands continued to massage her ass, loving the feeling of the cheeks between his hands. Alice must have loved it too, considering the way she tossed her head back and moaned every time he pulled them apart.

“Ride me, baby, ride me.” Loki grunted as he bucked his hips up. Alice gasped and pushed herself down harder on his cock. Loki watched her breasts bounce in front of his face, and he couldn’t help but reach out and lick her perky nipples. Alice let out a whine, her body trembling from Loki’s contact all over her. His tongue danced along her little buds while she pushed herself back onto him.

Above him, Alice was a babbling mess. Every time she tried to speak, it came out as incoherent moans. Loki was pretty sure she was trying to say his name, but he couldn’t tell if that was true between all her groaning. He loved it though. He loved how vocal she always was. He loved how passionate and dedicated she became when they made love. Her whole body was shaking as Loki’s cock thrusted inside of her. 

Loki pulled his mouth away from Alice’s breasts, and slid his hands up her body. Then, he cupped her breasts in his hands, pushing and pulling at the muscles. Alice let out tiny whimpers. She lifted her hands from Loki’s shoulders and covered his hands on her breasts. 

“Don’t stop, Loki, don’t stop!” Alice cried out as she pushed his hands around. Loki squeezed her harder.

“I could have you like this forever.” Loki groaned. His vision was becoming spotty as he felt his orgasm approaching him. His hips were tilting up in Alice unevenly as his thrusts became sloppy. He held back, however, he wanted this to last as long as possible. 

“I’m yours. Always yours.” Alice whimpered. “Do whatever you want to me.” 

“Stop tempting me.” Loki growled. He shifted his hands from under Alice’s so he could move them down her body again. He leaned in and nipped a bruise right between her breasts.

Loki settled his hands just under Alice’s ass and held her above him. Loki slid down further and angled his hips upward, then began to jackhammer into her body without any restraint. Alice’s hands gripped Loki’s shoulders, her nails digging into his skin hard enough to leave marks.

“Fuck! Fuck, Loki, oh my god!” Alice cried. Loki looked up to see tiny teardrops running down her face. More often than not, Alice would shed tears during sex. Loki was worried the first time when he saw her crying as he fucked her, but now he understood that it was just a symbol of how pleasured she was. Every time she cried during sex, her orgasms were the most powerful. Loki knew that whatever he was doing was setting her off, and he loved the power he had while doing so.

“Do you want to cum, darling?” Loki purred out as he snapped his hips into her. Alice was beginning to feel numb as her orgasm coiled in her stomach. Her body was on fire with every heavy thrust into her. She nodded, and tried to speak, but everything was coming out as whines. “You need to speak, Alice, or else you’ll get nothing.”

“Yes! Loki, yes, I want to cum.” Alice cried as more tears spilled from her eyes. Loki smirked and slowed his thrusts just in the slightest.

“Beg.”

“Loki, please make me cum. Please, I want to cum all over your cock. You make me feel so good, and I just need to cum. Please Loki. I’ll do anything, please just let me cum.” Alice cried out. Loki smirked and gripped her ass tighter. He sped up his hips once more, pistoning into Alice’s tight body.

“Cum, Alice. Cum for me.” Loki grunted. That was all Alice needed to hear. She let her climax take her over. Alice screamed out Loki’s name multiple times before slumping down into her arms. Loki wrapped his arms around the base of Alice’s back as he shot into her. He filled her up to the brim. Loki let out a gasp at the sheer amount of cum he had shot into her. It was one of the most intense orgasms he ever had.

Loki leaned back and rubbed his hands down Alice’s back. He carefully lifted her off of him so he could slip out of him. As he pulled himself out, he heard Alice whine against his shoulder. Loki softly chuckled as he brushed some her hair away from her face.

“You there, my love?” Loki asked. Alice nodded but curled into him. She had no interest in moving right now, and was perfectly content staying wrapped up here in Loki’s arms.

“That was amazing. I love you.” Alice giggled in her post-orgasmic high. Loki kissed the side of her head as he continued to rub her back.

“I love you, my rose. Always.” Loki said. As they laid there together, Loki heard a low grumbling come from Alice’s stomach. He pushed her back slightly and eyed her with a knowing look. “Hungry there, dove?”

“Apparently.” Alice laughed. She moved one hand down to cup her stomach, feeling the shaking coming from within. “I guess that happens after a long day of sex and training.”

“You humans, so fragile.” Loki rolled his eyes jokingly. He snapped his fingers and suddenly, clothes covered their bodies. Alice pouted at the feeling of her skin not touching Loki’s anymore, but Loki pecked her lips, and whispered to her that he would have more of her later.

Alice would be perfectly fine with that.

 

**

 

“Now, I must say. Asgardian food is simply incredible.” Alice said as she licked her fingertips clean. Loki chuckled as he watched her devour her platter of food. He had the maids deliver trays upon trays of Alice’s favorite food to his room. He set up a blanket out on his balcony for the two to lounge on as they watched the sunset. “I’m quite concerned that you ordered so much, however. I’m afraid I’ll eat it all.”

“Eat as much as you desire. You are a princess after all.” Loki smirked. He took a sip from his wine as Alice rolled her eyes at him. She popped another piece of food into her mouth.

“Technically, I’m not. You just made everyone call me one.” Alice giggled. Loki shook his head with a playful smile on his lips.

“It’s what you deserve, Princess Alice.” Loki smiled. Alice laughed as she wiped her mouth. This whole thing was ridiculous. 

“I’m not a princess!” Alice poked Loki in this side. Loki looked out to the sky. He watched the sun say goodbye as it crept under the horizon. The stars were dancing as they glittered in the sky. It was beautiful. It was perfect.

“But you could be.” Loki whispered, his eyes still staring out into the vastness. Alice leaned back and followed Loki’s eyes.

“Yeah, right. I could buy one of those party-store crowns and prance around the palace like I used to do in my house as a kid.” Alice laughed softly. Even though her childhood was difficult, memories that like always stood out to her. They reminded her of a peaceful time. “Now that’s what I call a princess.”

“I mean, of course. Little girl Alice dancing around her house is princess-worthy.” Loki chuckled. He turned to Alice, his eyes staring at her as if she was the most beautiful thing in the universe. His smile became fond, less playful, and sincerer. “But you could be a real princess. Now.”

“And how is that possible?” Alice teased. Loki smiled knowingly. Clearly, Alice had no idea what he was about to say.

“Marry me.”

Alice whipped her head around to look at Loki. Her jaw dropped at what she had just heard. He couldn’t possibly be asking her to marry him, right? Alice sat there, completely dumbfounded. She had no idea what to say. Every time she tried to make an attempt to speak, her mouth would shut closed.

“I…Loki…What?” Alice stammered. Loki chuckled and stood from where he was sitting. He stretched out his arms and reached a hand out in front of Alice.

“Walk with me.” Alice placed her hand in Loki’s and he pulled her up swiftly. He wrapped an arm around her and walked her to the edge of the balcony. Asgard was quiet under the twilight sky. Loki leaned on the bars of the balcony and shut his eyes. He took in a breath of air before turning to Alice and opening his eyes. “Isn’t this lovely?”

“Yeah, it is.” Alice said, still shocked at what she had heard before. Her eyes focused on a few stars that seemed to be dancing around each other. Marriage? Was Loki serious, or was this just an idea that could happen one day? Of course, Alice thought about marrying Loki. He was perfect to her and for her. It was a dream, but she was positive it could never be a reality. Loki was in line for the throne and how could she be able to uphold the responsibility of the crown, should he be chosen to succeed Odin. Then, he would be expected to have children, and Alice knew that after what she went through at the Organization when she was younger, that would be impossible. None of it just seemed realistic. Still, in a perfect world, Alice pictured herself married to Loki. Maybe a few kids. No throne or crown to be responsible for. Calm and peaceful. 

“Odin told me the only thing we could not do on Asgard was leave it.” Loki said. He turned his body fully towards Alice and took her hands in his. “He knows how much I love you, and he even told me that if I should want to take you as my wife, then I could.”

“Loki, how in the world would I be able to be your wife? Your wife becomes the Queen, and I can’t rule Asgard!” Alice laughed out in shock. Loki smirked and pushed some of her hair behind her ear.

“I guess it’s a good thing I forfeited the throne.” Loki smiled down at her. Alice took a step back.

“You…what?” Alice gasped out. Loki nodded with a hint of laughter under his breath.

“I don’t care about the throne. Not anymore. I’ve told you this before, Alice, you are all I need. I’d much rather spend my life fighting by Stark’s side than sitting on an uncomfortable chair.” Loki came in closer. He covered Alice’s hands with his own. “Alice, my strong, courageous, intelligent, beautiful Alice. Will you please marry me?”

Alice felt a weight appearing in her hands. She looked down to see a green glow coming from in between Loki’s fingers and hers. Loki placed his hands under Alice’s, and in her palm sat a velvet green ring box with a diamond ring inside. Alice’s eyes widened at the sight of the ring, and she broke down into tears.

“Yes.” Alice looked up at Loki. “Yes, Loki. Yes!” 

Loki broke out into the most magnificent smile. He took the ring from the box and slipped it onto Alice’s finger. As soon as the ring was settled onto Alice’s finger, she jumped into Loki’s arms. She kissed all over his face and eventually, she met his lips. Alice felt fireworks exploding under her skin as she kissed Loki. It was grand, it was exciting, it was perfect. Loki pulled away first and lifted Alice’s hand to look at the ring.

“Odd thing you Midgardians do. You give your partner something so common like a diamond as a sign of commitment.” Loki turned Alice’s hand back and forth to watch the diamond sparkle. He looked back up at Alice and smirked. “So, in Asgardian tradition, I want to give you something so rare, you will be the only woman to have one.”

Loki held out his palm, and inside of it sat a circular pendant. It was on a thin gold chain that was tangled in Loki’s fingers. Loki clicked the side of the pendant, and it opened up. 

“Oh, Loki, that’s beautiful!” Alice gasped at the ornate detailing on the pendant. Loki shook his head, and made Alice look up at him.

“The pendant is not the gift, but what is inside.” Loki held his hand up to the sky. Alice watched his fingers pinch together, and suddenly, a tiny star was floating in between his index finger and his thumb. He plucked the star from the sky and placed it inside the pendant. The star glowed and twinkled in between the latches of the pendant, and with a sharp click, it was hidden inside. “A star, for you.”

Loki picked up the necklace and placed it around Alice’s neck. It was small and flat, and rested on her chest weightlessly. Alice ran her fingers over the smooth chain and the golden pendant. 

“Thank you.” Alice barely whispered. She couldn’t think of anything else to say. Loki lifted her left hand and placed a kiss on top of the diamond ring.

“I love you, my future wife.” Loki smiled up at her. Alice broke out into a fit of laughter as she wrapped one arm around Loki’s neck and placed her other hand on his chest.

“I love you too, my fiancé.” Alice giggled. The two were so happy standing there. They watched Asgard stretch for miles into the distance as they just held each other. 

However, the peaceful quiet came to a halt as the doors to the balcony swung open with a crash. Loki and Alice whipped their heads around to see Thor standing there, hunched over slightly and out of breath. Loki rolled his eyes at his brother’s rude entrance.

“Aren’t you just incredible at ruining moments? Can’t you see…” Loki trailed off as he really looked at Thor’s face. There were tears in his eyes and his lips were chapped. Thor looked to the ground and let out the most painful sob Alice had ever heard. “Brother, what’s wrong?”

Thor looked back up at Loki slowly. His heart was breaking with every passing second just staring at his weakened brother. Thor stood up straighter and took one step forward. Another wave of tears entered his blue eyes, and he found himself incapable of speech.

“Thor! What the fuck is going on?” Loki yelled. Alice shrunk back at his tone, her hand gripping the material covering Loki’s chest tighter. Thor wiped his eyes and cleared his throat.

“Mother is dead.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They were so happy!! Alice and Loki are going to get married! But then...Thor came in and told them that Frigga died. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?? Let me know what you think happened!!


	39. Ancient History

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I hope you enjoy this chapter, it was really interesting to write. Comments and kudos are always loved and welcomed, and as always, thank you for reading!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 5262

“Mother is dead.” The words dripped from Thor’s mouth like poison. Loki couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Frigga was dead? How was this possible?

“Loki, we need to get inside.” Alice whispered. He nodded once and let her lead him into his room. Alice shut the doors to the balcony behind them, leaving their moment of peace outside with the stars. 

“What happened?” Loki mumbled. His head was spinning. He reached out for Alice, needing her support. When she took his hand, he squeezed it tighter than ever before. Loki’s eyes were emotionless as he looked at Thor. 

“She was murdered on Alfheim. Her and all of the guards. A herder found them four days later and immediately sent word to Asgard.” Thor said slowly as if he was still trying to comprehend the words. Alice felt tears filling her eyes.

“Who could have done this? I thought we were peaceful with Alfheim!” Alice shouted. Pain was throbbing in her chest at the news of Frigga being murdered. She was like a mother to her. Loki was silent beside her; his face was absolutely broken. She could feel him trembling as he held her, and Alice knew that not even she would be able to calm him.

“Her body is being examined by the medics now. They’re trying to see what happened.” Thor explained. 

“Sif told me that all the warriors know a spell that can bring a royal back to life. Why can’t someone just use it on Frigga?” Alice asked. It seemed like the most logical thing to do. Thor ran a hand through his hair and shook his head.

“That spell is timed. By the time the herder found Frigga, it was too late.” Thor sighed. Alice bit her lip as she turned to Loki. She placed a hand on his chest and watched his eyes shut closed.

“I’m so sorry.” Alice whispered, her eyes flickering between both Thor and Loki. They had lost their mother, and she had no idea how to comfort them. Alice felt Loki trembling harder underneath her palm. She leaned into him and wrapped her other arm around him. “Loki?”

“Leave.” Loki said firmly. Alice shook her head and held onto him tighter.

“No, Loki, I’m here for you.” Alice said softly. 

“I said leave!” Loki yelled. Loki’s fists clenched and suddenly, one of his chairs flew across the room and nearly hit Alice. Thor quickly collected Alice into his arms and led them from the room. Alice tried to fight against Thor but she knew it was no use. He was too strong for her to fight against. Thor quickly shut the doors behind them and pulled Alice into his body. The palace halls were dark and quiet as she sobbed against him. Thor pressed his face into her hair and let his tears fall. The sound of his sobs broke her heart. She had never seen him so broken before. 

“Why did he kick me out?” Alice whimpered. Thor sighed and ran his hands up and down her back to comfort her. 

“He needs to be alone right now. It’s how he coped with everything when he was younger.” Thor said. “Come, let’s leave him be for a few hours. He needs time to calm down.”

“I can’t leave him, Thor.” Alice whispered. She turned to look at the door still closed firmly in her face. “He needs me.”

“He’s too upset right now, Alice. He gets violent when he’s like this. He made you leave because he didn’t want to hurt you.” Thor explained. Alice looked up at him with a watery smile. As much as she loved Thor for trying to protect her, she knew that Loki would never hurt her.

“He won’t hurt me. Just let me wait here in case he needs me.” Alice suggested. Thor sighed, he didn’t like the idea of leaving Alice alone. But he knew he would never be able to persuade her otherwise. She could be extremely stubborn when she had her mind set on something. 

“Alright. But if you need me, you know where to find me.” Thor leaned down and pressed a long, soft kiss to Alice’s forehead. He pulled back and Alice could see the sadness in his eyes. She cupper his jaw and stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. 

“Thank you.” Alice said. She paused, her eyes drifting down to her feet. “I’m so sorry about your mother.”

Thor didn’t speak. He couldn’t. Alice could tell he was too choked up. Thor cleared his throat, nodded at Alice, and pulled away. He walked down the hall without the usual confidence in his step. Alice wiped her eyes and turned around to face Loki’s door. She raised her fist and knocked lightly on the door.

“Loki? May I come in?” When Alice received no answer, her hand went to open the door, but found that it was locked. “Loki, you don’t need to be alone through this. I’m here for you. I know this is hard, and I’m so sorry that this happened. I don’t know how to help, but I wish I did. Please, Loki, let me in. I love you.”

Alice sighed and sat down next to the door. She leaned her head back against the wall and shut her eyes. Behind the wall, she could hear the faint sound of crashing and smashing. She could tell Loki was destroying something. Tears slipped past her eyes as she sat there waiting for him to let her in. 

Alice waited outside of Loki’s door for three days. Every time the maids would bring a tray of food to Loki’s door, they would knock but get no answer. They would leave the tray sitting outside the door, along with one for Alice. They would smile at her and apologize, then scurry off in fear of facing Loki.

She had tried to get back into Loki’s room several times, but he would never let her in. Nevertheless, she would never leave. She promised Loki that she would be here for him, and when he decided to come back out, she would be sure to be there. As she sat in the quiet hallways, she would stare at the diamond on her finger or open up her locket to see the star dancing inside of it. She was his fiancé, and Alice couldn’t be happier, but she couldn’t feel that happiness right now. Frigga was dead and Loki had pushed her away. Even Thor had stopped checking on her, because he was too upset. She didn’t blame him though, Alice felt broken herself.

Frigga had been more of a mother to her than her own mother was. She was the one who gave Alice her powers back. She was also the one who always saw the good in Loki. She cared for him even when he wasn’t on Asgard. Alice thought back to when Loki would write countless letters to her back on Midgard, and Frigga would send just as many back despite Odin forbidding it. Frigga had meant the world to Loki, and now, she was gone.

It was late into the evening on the third day of waiting outside Loki’s door. The funeral for Frigga was to begin in an hour, and there was still no sign that Loki planned to leave his room. Alice was curled up against the wall, her shawl covering her arms. Her eyes were closed as she rested her head against the wall. A maid had brought her a platter of food an hour ago, but she had no appetite. She was too upset.

Alice’s eyes opened quickly when she heard the door to Loki’s room open. She looked up to see him standing just outside the door. He looked down and noticed Alice curled up on the ground. 

“My love, what are you doing?” Loki crouched down beside her. Alice smiled weakly as she stared into his beautiful eyes. 

“I promised you that I would be here for you.” Alice whispered. “I couldn’t leave you.”

Loki choked back tears as he enveloped Alice into his arms. He buried his head into the crook of her neck and let out a sob. Alice wrapped her arms around Loki’s back and rubbed up and down the large expanse of it. 

“I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed you away.” Loki cried against her. Alice pulled back and placed her hands on either side of Loki’s face. Tears were spilling from his ocean colored eyes. 

“I know you’re hurt but you need to let me help you.” Alice whispered. She pressed a kiss to his cheek and tasted the salty tears on his skin. “We’re going to be married, after all.” Alice smiled, hoping to cheer him up with the happiness he had felt after proposing to her. Loki shut his eyes and let his head hang loosely in her hands. 

“I could have hurt you. I almost did.” Loki choked out. “I’m sorry.”

“Hey, it’s okay. I’m fine, aren’t I? Besides, you didn’t mean to hurt me.” Alice smiled. Loki sighed and let more of his weight be held up by Alice.

“I miss her, Alice.” Loki let more tears fall freely down his cheeks. “This is all my fault.”

“Why would you ever say such a thing?” Alice gasped. Loki looked up at her. His lips were trembling almost as much as his hands were. “This is in no way your fault, Loki.”

“But she wouldn’t have had to go to Alfheim if it wasn’t for me! They didn’t trust me and she went there to vouch for me and she got killed!” Loki yelled through his tears. Alice’s grip tightened on him as he went through his flood of emotions. Anger, sadness, pain. It was all there. “This is my fault.”

Alice didn’t know how to respond. She simply hugged him. She let him cry against her shoulder. She let his tears soak into her shawl and her dress. She sat there, wishing to someone, anyone, for Loki to see that this wasn’t his doing. Alice could hear Loki’s sobs quieting down as he lost his energy. She kissed the side of his head while he sat in her arms. 

Alice looked up as she heard the sound of heels clicking down the hall. She looked up to find Sif standing in an all-black dress. Sif stared at the couple and her heart broke. Loki had always put up a tough front. She had never seen Loki look so weak before.

“It is time for the funeral.” Sif whispered. Alice nodded once as she leaned into Loki. Sif walked away, clearly understanding that this was a moment that needed to happen between the two of them. 

As Sif walked away, she felt guilt pooling in her gut. Frigga had asked her if she wanted to come with her to Alfheim, but Sif politely declined so she could tend to training the young soldiers. Sif worried her lip between her teeth. Maybe if she had gone, she could have stopped the killer. Maybe she could’ve even seen what had happened. 

Maybe she could have saved her.

 

**

 

Frigga’s service was the most spectacular and heart breaking event that Alice had ever witnessed.

The entirety of Asgard attended. Every woman wore black veils to cover their faces, and every man wore black cloaks. They shot arrows into the sky as Frigga’s body floated across the waters of Asgard, making the lake ignite into a dance of sparkling light. Alice was sure that Frigga would have loved it.

Alice had her arms around Loki as she walked him back to his room. Throughout the entire funeral, Loki refused to shed a single tear as he stood beside Thor. Alice kept her distance, knowing Odin wouldn’t approve of her being so close to them. He had kept himself so strong in front of the Asgardians. He stood with a straight back and his eyes focused on Frigga’s floating casket. Whenever an Asgardian would reach out to kiss his hand in condolences, he would simply nod, thank them, and move on. He was destroyed, but for the sake of his people, he would hold himself together.

Then, when he finally was alone with Alice, he broke down again. Alice had to stop him from destroying a line of flower vases that stretched along the wall of one of the grand halls. She kissed him and assured him that they would avenge Frigga. She had smiled and noted that they were the Avengers, after all.

Still, Loki had barely let a smile peek through. He cheeks were stained from his tears and his eyes were permanently puffy. Alice didn’t want to let Loki get too far away from her, since she didn’t want him to push her away again. Loki didn’t seem like he wanted to be alone, though, considering the way he was clinging to Alice. Every now and then, he would lift her left hand, kiss the ring on her finger, and whisper “thank you” to her. He needed her, and he could tell that she was being strong for him. 

Behind them, Alice could hear someone running. She turned to see Thor running behind them, tears still in his eyes from the funeral. Alice placed her hand on Loki and turned to Thor.

“Thor? What’s wrong?” Alice was hoping it wasn’t bad news. The last thing they needed was more bad news. She looked over to Loki who was slumped in her arms. His eyes were trained on Thor’s boots. 

“They’ve figured out the murder.” Thor said. “We need to go.”

 

**

 

When Alice, Loki, and Thor finally reached the study room that Thor had led them to, they opened the doors to find Odin flipping through the pages of an ancient looking book. The medic, Anya, who had examined Frigga’s body was standing close by. Her hands were shaking as she looked at the page that Odin was reading. Alice could tell that Anya was absolutely terrified by whatever her eyes had landed on.

“Father.” Thor said to announce their entrance. Odin looked up, weary and cautious. His eye scanned over the trio, and landed scornfully on Loki. His wrinkled lips twitched in annoyance, then he went back to reading his book.

“Anya, begin.” Odin motioned with his hand. Anya nodded and took a few steps forward. She looked at the princes and began to weep.

“Your mother was indeed murdered, and that much we knew.” Anya wiped her eyes as she tried to speak. “Her and all of the guards were slain by a sword. The blade marks in them, however, were very peculiar, and something we had not seen before. The scars in their bodies still burned to the touch, and we could tell that this sword that was used on them contained some very dark magic. We began to do research on what this could have been and…and I…”

“Relax, Anya, take your time.” Alice whispered. Anya looked up at Alice and smiled thankfully. She reached forward and brushed some of Alice’s hair behind her ear with her shaky, boney hands.

“Sweet princess, she loved you.” Anya let her hands fall back to her sides. She turned back to Thor and Loki, and her smile faded from her face. “Your mother was murdered by an evil entity we thought to be long gone.”

“Who? I’ll kill them.” Thor growled as he gripped Mjolnir. Odin looked up from the book and shook his head, his eye still trained on Loki.

“That is not so simple.” Odin said firmly. He crossed his hands together and took a step back from the book. With a wide motion of his arms, a projection of the book appeared in the air. Pictures and text lit up the room.

“What is all this?” Loki squinted his eyes to get a better look at what was above them. Odin cleared his throat and pointed towards a drawn picture of a wicked looking man. He had eyes that were completely red, his nose came to a deathly point, and his black hair was tied back, and fell to his waist. Alice got chills just from looking at the drawing of him.

“Centuries upon centuries ago, my father encountered an entity like no other. His name was Evig and he was set on destroying the nine realms.” Odin began to speak. Thor rolled his eyes and folded his arms across his chest.

“Aren’t they all?” He grumbled. Odin gave him a sharp look before continuing.

“Evig had an army larger than Asgard’s, and they were quite unbreakable.” Odin pointed to a picture of at least ten thousand men all dressed in the same armor. “Evig led them on a journey across the nine realms to take out every leader and enslave their people. Evig was a god to them, and it was understandable as to why.”

Odin maneuvered his hands and zoomed in on a picture of Evig holding a sword. It was intricate in details on its handle and its blade looked like no other sword’s. Anya choked at the sight of the sword, and Alice could tell that she recognized the blade’s shape from Frigga’s wound.

“Evig wielded a sword that could not be destroyed. No matter what the armies did, the sword stayed intact. This sword was tied to Evig’s life, and so long as the sword was whole, Evig could not die. With one cut from the blade, no matter how small, the recipient of the wound would die.” Odin gestured to the sword. Alice was trembling just at the sight of it. She felt Loki wrap his arms around her and pull her in closer. Even his embrace could not calm the fear that surged through her like electricity.

“That is not possible.” Loki said as he tried to comprehend what Odin was saying. “It is just metal! Could it not be sawed in half or thrown into a pit of flames?”

“The metal was too strong, and too cursed. It endured all torment that was brought to it.” Odin said with a wave of his hand. The picture above the group shifted to an image of Evig fighting Odin’s father. “When my father went to fight him, he nearly lost all of Asgard’s army. However, he was able to separate Evig from his army for just long enough to summon the bifrost. He took them to Jotunheim, where the frost giants aided in the surrender of Evig. His army then was killed by our forces.”

Alice felt Loki’s body tense beside her at the mention of his birthplace. She ran a hand down his back, hoping to relieve his nerves. His eyes were wide as he stared at the picture of the frost giants forcing Evig to his knees. 

“Try as they might, they could not kill Evig. His sword was still whole. Any poison they tried or cut they inflicted did nothing to the man. So, Evig was cast out across the universe, living in a realm that is not under our control. His army was slaughtered, leaving Evig alone on a foreign planet with no followers. My father believed it would be impossible for him to return. My father tried to destroy the sword after taking it from Evig, but as I had said, it withstood everything. So, my father brought it home to Asgard, and hid it in the vault.” Odin said.

“Well, if it’s in our vault, then Evig could not have killed Frigga with it.” Thor pointed to the pictures above them. Odin looked down at the book and pursed his lips. Clearly, his story was not finished.

“I refused to have such an artifact in the vault. We would be a direct target if Evig was to return, so I sent it to Jotunheim after we made peace with them. Laufey buried the sword deep in the heart of Jotunheim, and he was the only one who knew where it was. He kept it a secret so no one could betray him.” Odin explained. Loki felt completely stiff under Alice’s hand. He never told her much about his actual father, and she never pressed him to tell her. His lineage was something he didn’t like to discuss in detail. Odin looked directly at Loki with a sneer.

“But after Laufey was killed, no one was left to protect the sword, leaving it unguarded and vulnerable to fall into Evig’s grasp should he return.” Odin growled as he pointed a trembling finger at Loki. Alice looked up at Loki with confusion. 

“Why are you so angry with Loki? He can’t help it that Laufey died.” Alice asked. Loki’s eyes fell to the ground.

“So you never told her, did you?” Odin scoffed. He looked at Alice and raised his eyebrows. “Loki killed Laufey.”

“I did it to protect you.” Loki snapped. His eyes were wild with anger. “I did it because he wanted to kill you.”

“Who let him almost kill me? Who, Loki?” Odin yelled. Thor came forward and pressed a hand to his father’s chest, holding him away from his brother. 

“Father, this is no time for throwing accusations. What can we do to avenge Mother?” Thor asked with a growl in his tone. Odin pushed him off and returned to his book, flipping through a few more pages.

“A few farmers on the outskirts of Alfheim reported that it was, indeed, Evig with his sword. He must have found a way back to our realms and located the sword in Jotunheim.” Odin looked up at his sons again, completely disregarding the daggers that Alice was shooting at him with her eyes.

“Do you know how he returned?” Thor asked. Alice looked over to her blonde friend. His eyes were staring at the book, seeking for answers he couldn’t find. He was lost and scared. Alice felt her heart breaking as she looked at him.

“The farmers said they saw him with an odd, terrifying looking man. Gray face, long fingers, he was moving metal.” Odin said. 

Loki walked out of Alice’s arms and to the windows at the back of the room. This man was all too familiar. He shut his eyes closed tight and tried to repress the memories of all the torture that had come to him. After being with Alice, he had pushed away all these memories. They didn’t haunt him anymore, until this moment. Everything came rushing back to him. Loki felt nauseous as he pressed his forehead against the glass of the window.

“Loki? What’s wrong?” Alice asked as he heard her cross the room. He held his hand up, hoping that would stop her. He heard her footsteps stop. Loki couldn’t tell her. He couldn’t stand the idea of inflicting even more fear in her. 

“Nothing. This all is just too much to take in.” Loki lied. He hoped it was convincing enough. He could picture this strange man’s ugly face. The wrinkled, twisted features. The chilling voice. The way he so effortlessly shifted around metal and and other elements with a flick of his wrist. 

When Loki heard no response, he turned around to see Alice standing there with a knowing look on her face. Thor and Odin payed no attention to him, but Alice knew. She knew him too well to believe his lies. She pursed her lips and shook her head, silently telling him that they would talk about this later. Loki pressed his lips into a line and looked back out the window. People were walking around quietly with no idea of what was to come. Loki’s heart ached, if only he was brave enough to tell them.

“I fear he will attempt to make his way to Asgard. He did not kill the leaders of Alfheim, but he did kill Frigga, which shows that he wants to attack us too.” Odin said grimly. “We must prepare the city for evacuation.”

“Where will we go?” Thor asked. Loki knew that if Evig was getting help from…him, then there would be no corner of the universe that they would be able to hide.

“We will figure that out. The important thing now is to get everybody out of Asgard before Evig finds his way here.” Odin slammed the book closed with a hard thump. “Prepare yourselves. We leave immediately.”

 

**

 

When Odin declared that Asgard was to be evacuated immediately, he truly meant immediately. After he told his sons that they were to leave, he sent his ravens out into the sky to announce his message. The people shook with fear and decided it was best not to question the King.

As everyone in the palace began to slip away, preparing whatever they could for their departure, Loki had brought Alice back to his room. As soon as the door closed, he took her into his arms. He inhaled the sweet scent of her hair – which still smelt like roses – and kissed the top of her head.

“Are you afraid?” Alice whispered against him. Loki nodded. He didn’t want to admit it, but he was truly terrified. Asgard was in danger, his family was in danger, his fiancé was in danger, he was in danger. There was no safe place in the universe to hide, and only he knew that. Only he knew what was coming. Loki pulled away so he could look Alice in her eyes. He could see how scared she was.

“I will protect you.” Loki whispered to her. He moved his hands down to hold hers. The chill of her ring touched his skin, and he felt guilt immediately surge over him. 

Was this truly all his fault? He tried to make a mental map of the whole situation. Loki killed Laufey, who was the only protector of Evig’s deadly sword. Because he killed Laufey, the sword was left unguarded. Evig had a vendetta against Asgard for defeating him, making him grow angry and spiteful. Loki then got himself mixed up with…him, and he failed, making the mad titan grow angry and spiteful. They found each other, and Evig now had a way to get back at Asgard, and the titan had a way of getting back at Loki. Without Laufey to guard the sword, Evig had gained free control to find it. Frigga was sent to Alfheim, because Loki wasn’t trusted there, and was then killed by Evig. He was putting everyone in danger just by being present, and that was a fact he didn’t want to come to terms with.

“We’re in this together.” Alice said as she squeezed Loki’s cold hands. She could tell he was thinking too deeply. Loki scrunched his eyebrows together and parted his lips.

“No.”

“What? What do you mean no?” Alice held Loki’s hands tighter, but he let them drop to her side. He turned around and ran a hand through his hair, muttering something under his breath. 

“If you see anything, you run. You don’t fight. You run away and protect yourself first.” Loki grumbled. Alice stepped forward and placed her hands on Loki’s shoulders, trying to turn him around. He stayed in place, refusing to look at her. If he looked at her, he would cave in.

“Why?” Alice’s voice was broken. 

“Because if you get in the way, you’ll just hold us back.” Loki snapped. Alice dropped her hands as she stared at his back.

“If I get in the way? Hold you back?” She asked with disbelief. Loki let his head hang as he turned slightly towards her, but still not daring to meet her sad eyes. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means that if this comes to a fight, I refuse to let you get involved.” Loki balled his fists as he stared towards the ground. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Alice trembling. He knew he had hurt her.

“Why not? Loki, I have my powers again! I can help!” Alice walked to him and tried to get him to look at her. He whipped his head around and stared at her with hard eyes.

“No! You can’t help! I will not allow it!” Loki yelled. Alice stepped back and curled his hands into fists. Her lips were pressed into a tight line. “You can’t defeat him, Alice! You won’t be any help!”

“Why not! I busted my ass to be on the Avengers and if I’m good enough for them then I’m good enough for here and you know it!” Alice yelled. Loki laughed spitefully and looked off into the distance.

“You can’t help. End of story.” He muttered. He went to walk away but Alice stood in his path. She refused to let him leave without giving her a real answer.

“Why can’t I? Tell me!” Alice stared up at Loki. 

“Because I can’t lose you too!” Loki screamed. Alice’s face softened at his words. He wasn’t trying to tell her that she wasn’t good enough. No, he was trying to save her. He was trying to tell her that he didn’t want her to get hurt. “I can’t live with myself if I lose you.”

“Oh, Loki.” Alice wrapped her arms around Loki’s neck. “You’re not going to lose me.”

“But if you fight Evig, you could die. You heard Odin, any mark from that sword will kill you.” Loki stressed. Alice pulled back and ran her hands down Loki’s face, coddling him with love. “I can’t live without you.”

“As long as we fight together, then we’ll both be okay.” Alice assured him. “Besides, now that I’m officially a princess, isn’t it my job to protect the people of Asgard?”

“I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, you are the bravest woman I know.” Loki smiled as he pressed a kiss to the palm of Alice’s hand. His smile faded away as he looked at Alice. He almost lost her in the past, and he couldn’t stand the thought of losing her again. But he knew that he couldn’t put her on the sidelines. She was too stubborn and she would do anything to protect him. As much as he didn’t want her to get involved, he knew he couldn’t stop her.

Just then, an explosion went off in the distance. Loki pulled away from Alice and ran to the balcony. “Stay here.” Loki said. 

When he heard Alice follow behind him, he rolled his eyes. Of course she wouldn’t listen. Out at the edge of the city, fiery blasts were being set off and the screams of Asgardians could be heard in the distance. 

“What do we do?” Alice asked. Loki looked down at her and pressed his lips into a tight line. 

“Get to the ship, help the people escape. I’ll meet you there.” Loki assured her. He began to run through his room, eagerly heading to the door.

“Loki, wait!” Alice called out. Loki paused with his hand on the door. Alice walked up to him with shaking hands. “Why won’t you go with me? Where are you going?”

“Don’t worry about me, my rose. I’ll be with you soon, I promise.” Loki wrapped an arm around Alice’s waist and pulled her in for a deep, loving kiss. He held her there for a few moments, kissing her with everything he had. When he pulled away, Alice could see tears forming in his ocean eyes. “Stay safe.”

And with that, he was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: Evig is an original character! I didn't mean to base him off of anything, so his story is my creation.   
> But oh SHIT so it sounds like Evig is working with the mad titan...interesting! What do you guys think is going to happen? Why did Loki leave at the end and where do you think he's going? Let me know what you guys think might happen!!


	40. Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!! I hope you enjoy this chapter. Comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated and thanks for reading!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 4213

Alice wasn’t sure exactly where to go. She could see the ship, and she could see the explosions. She wasn’t sure how to get to either. Loki told her it was important to get to the ship and help people escape, so she figured that maybe that was the best thing to do. Yet, she had no idea what path to take in order to reach said ship.

She got lost in the palace all the time, let alone in the city itself. Alice looked over the edge of the balcony. She looked at the bracelet wrapped around her wrist. She thought back to what Tony had told her so long ago: ‘the gloves will help put more pressure into your elements, causing your water to seem more like a tsunami with less energy used to create it. Also, and this part is my personal favorite, it will help you fly’.

“Dammit, Tony, you better be right about this.” Alice mumbled to herself. She had never attempted this feature of her suit, but she needed it now more than ever. Of course, she had used her air streams to make her go faster, but that was always on the ground. Alice tapped her code into the bracelet, and let her suit cover her body. She looked down at her hands and admired the stitching in the fingerless gloves. It had felt so long since she had taken full advantage of this beautiful suit. Alice looked out into the city and placed her palms towards the ground, and with every ounce of power she had, she shot air from her hands and set herself flying across the city. 

Alice glided through the air seamlessly. It felt so natural to be soaring this high. Alice shot herself towards the ship, watching it grow closer and closer every second. Once she hit the ground, the Asgardians watched her with wide eyes. That was when she realized that none of them had ever seen her use her powers before or even wear this suit.

“Alice!” Alice whipped around and saw Sif running up to her. The dark haired woman took Alice into her arms with a sigh of relief. She pulled away and looked down at Alice’s suit. “Badass.”

“Sif, what’s going on?” Alice asked. Sif turned and gestured for people to move faster on the ship. People were coming at them from left and right heading towards the giant spacecraft.

“There’s an attack on Asgard. Odin demanded our evacuation.” Sif wasn’t even looking at her. She was so focused on getting people to safety.

“It’s Evig.” Alice said. Sif turned around, shock written all over her beautiful features.

“That’s impossible.” Sif raised her eyebrows. Alice shook her head and walked past Sif.

“He killed Frigga. He’s coming to Asgard, and that’s him.” Alice pointed her hands to the ground again, ready to shoot off and head towards the explosions. “I need to help.”

“No!” Sif grabbed Alice’s wrists and held her down. “We need to get everyone out of here before we can fight.”

“Let’s get them out of here, fast.” Alice nodded. She ran through the crowds, helping everyone get aboard the ship. People were crying as they watched the world they knew fall to pieces. The sound of an advancing army clomped through the streets in the distance, and Alice could tell they were running out of time.

“We need to get on board, everyone is on.” Sif called out to Alice as she boarded the last few people. Odin was standing at the base of the ship holding his staff. He was placing a magical barrier around the ship so if the army was to advance, they wouldn’t be able to hurt the civilians. Above her, Alice saw Thor flying through the air and landing next to the ship. Blood was oozing down his arms and face. 

“What about stopping the army?” Alice shouted. She could tell they were near, and it wouldn’t be wise to stay any longer.

“I’m destroying the planet.” Odin said. He stepped forward to Alice, and for once, she could see sincerity in his eye. He placed a hand on her shoulder and looked down at her hands. “Thank you.”

“Alice, you need to get on board!” Thor shouted as he ran onto the ship. Sif had already boarded and she was trying to calm down the crying children. Alice looked out into the city for any sign of Loki, but he was nowhere to be found.

“Loki isn’t here, yet. I can’t leave.” Alice said with tears in her eyes. Thor groaned and ran over to her. He wrapped his arms around her and began to pull her onto the ship. “NO! I can’t leave him!” Alice yelled. Odin followed in tow, still spell-bounding the ship.

“We need to go.” Thor grunted as she struggled against him. Alice looked up at him. She could feel the blood from his arm leaking against her. 

“I’m sorry for this.” Alice whispered under her breath. She wrapped her hands around Thor’s arms and let her hands ignite. The sharp burn from her fire sent pain shooting through Thor’s arm. He shouted out and unwrapped his arms from around her. Alice took the chance to run, despite Thor calling out for her. 

“Loki!” Alice shouted as she weaved her way through the streets. She called out his name as she tried to find him. No matter what, she wasn’t leaving without him. As Alice rounded another corner, she slammed right into the chest of a soldier in Evig’s army. Her eyes widened as he growled and tried to swipe her with his sword. Alice ducked and ran around him. She sprinted through the streets as he chased her. His eyes were wild as he swiped at her heels, trying to slow her down. 

Alice turned back to look at the evil man. Another four soldiers had joined him in chasing her. Alice shot her palms backwards and sent a blast of fire back at them. The soldiers screeched as her fire enveloped them. They slowed down as she sped up. 

As Alice felt herself running out of her breath, she saw more soldiers running towards her. Alice turned around and saw another dozen on her other side. She was completely surrounded. Alice placed her palms down and shot herself up onto one of the buildings that was next to her. She ran across the roof, jumping from house to house. Once she jumped across five buildings, she sent herself tumbling to the ground. Alice got up as fast as possible. As she started running again, she slammed into something hard.

“Alice!” Alice looked up and saw that she had hit into Loki’s hard chest. His eyes were wild as he stared down at her. “What the fuck are you doing out here?”

“I was looking for you! We need to get back to the ship.” Alice grabbed onto his arms. “Evig’s army. They were chasing me.”

“It’s just around the corner, let’s go.” Loki pulled her along with him through the streets as they reached the ship. Thor and Odin were standing at the edge of the ship. When Thor saw them, he ran down and helped them get onto the platform.

“What were you thinking?” Thor growled at Alice. She shook her head as she let her tears fall. 

“I’m sorry.” She cried. Thor sighed and pulled her into his arms. He kissed the top of her head. She was stupid, but she was safe. That was all that mattered.

Alice could feel the ship shake around them as it lifted off the ground. Alice pulled away from Thor to see Loki staring over the edge of the ship. The two walked towards him. Alice reached out wrap her arms around Loki’s arm. Odin walked up behind the three of them and stepped to the edge of the ship. He pressed a button to open the hatch.

“Father, what are you doing?” Thor asked out of breath. Odin turned to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Then, he turned to Loki and placed a hand on his shoulder He gripped his staff and let a grim smile find its way onto his face.

“Protect these people. Make sure they are safe.” Odin said. He looked between his sons. “I love you, my sons.”

“Father…” Thor trailed off as Odin let himself fall from the ship. Alice’s eyes widened as he landed on the ground. He slammed his staff into the ground and began to utter some words. Suddenly, a powerful force shot out from his staff and hit the ship. Odin looked up to the ship as it began to shoot up from the sky. The ground beneath Odin began to crack and split apart with a powerful force.

As Alice, Thor, and Loki watched Odin send the ship off faster, they saw the army approach him from behind. Then, a sword shot itself through Odin’s back, sending the King toppling to the ground.

“FATHER!” Loki shouted. Loki edged towards the ledge of the ship as if he was about to jump down. Alice held him back as Evig came into view to drive his sword deeper into Odin’s body. He glared up at the ship as it soared away. Evig reached for Odin’s staff, but the moment he touched it, the staff sent another blast of energy against the ship. The ship shot off into the distance, and left Asgard far away in the distance.

 

**

 

The ship was eerily quiet as it sailed away from Asgard. No one dared to speak in the wake of what had just happened. Odin was dead, leaving the Asgardians without a home or a king. 

Loki and Thor had excused themselves once the ship was floating through space. Alice was weary to let Loki go, but she knew he needed to discuss the future of their people with Thor. She didn’t want to interrupt that. 

Alice had found a small window to coop herself up near. She was watching the stars float past them as they glided through the vastness of space. She became aware of the necklace that was wrapped around her neck, holding one of those stars. Alice glanced down at her hand and watched the diamond ring sparkle against her finger. She smiled as she ran her fingers over the gem. Alice looked back out into the sky and leaned her head against the glass.

They had been so happy in that moment together, and it had been so suddenly stripped away. They never even had the time to tell anyone that they were going to be married. It didn’t even seem appropriate now. Frigga was dead, Odin was dead. It didn’t feel right to be happy.

Alice may not have liked Odin, but she knew how much he meant to the people. He was a beacon of guidance for them. He may have been cruel to her and even crueler to Loki, but he was just a man. He was a man who couldn’t trust anyone, and Alice pitied him for not being able to look past what had happened. Alice wiped her eyes at the thought of the people of Asgard feeling so lost. She could see it on their faces as she walked through the crowds huddled together aboard. After Loki and Thor had left, everyone looked to her. They reached out for her with gentle whispers of “princess”. Alice couldn’t do anything for them, though. She was just a mortal girl. They needed someone stronger than her. So, she hid.

Alice wasn’t sure how long she was staring out the window, but it felt like years. All she saw was darkness with flickers of light from the stars. She felt so alone out here. Where would they even go? Thor and Loki could possibly go back to Midgard in hopes that the Avengers could help fight Evig, if it came to that. Alice was so unsure of what was going to happen that it was beginning to make her feel ill.

“Alice.” Alice turned her head to see Thor standing above her. She offered him a small smile and took his hand. She pressed a kiss to the back of his hand and rubbed her thumb over the taught skin.

“How are you?” Alice whispered. She already knew the answer. 

“I’m broken, honestly.” Thor sighed as he sat across from Alice. He leaned his head on the window and watched the ship glide gracefully. 

“How’s Loki?” Alice asked. Thor looked at her and smiled sadly. 

“He asked to be left alone. He’s in more pain that he’ll admit.” Thor looked back out the window. 

“Thor, why didn’t we stay and fight?” Alice stared directly at Thor. She had no idea why Odin didn’t send his army in to fight Evig. Asgard was full of strong warriors, and with the aid of Thor, Loki, and herself, Evig probably could have been defeated. “We ran and now Odin is dead and Evig is still out there.”

“Odin demanded that we all escape. He left no room for debate.” Thor mumbled. “When Odin impaled the ground with his staff, he meant to destroy Asgard. If the realm gets destroyed, then so does everything on it.”

“But Evig killed him before he could do it.” Alice looked down at her hands. 

“He’s going to try to find us, but now that Heimdall knows that Evig is out there, hopefully he can track his moves now.” He chuckled sarcastically. “I didn’t think this was how I’d become a king.”

“You’re to become King?” Alice asked. Thor nodded slowly. She could see that he didn’t want this, but she knew that he never did. He had told her that the throne wasn’t where his heart lied. He wanted to fight evil and protect the realms, not rule over them. 

“Father had told me he did not trust Loki to be King.” Thor sighed. He ran a hand through his hand and hung his head. His blue eyes glanced up at Alice, but returned back to looking at his hands. “Loki gave up the throne, anyway.” 

“I never asked him to.” Alice said softly. The last thing she wanted was for Thor to believe that it was her fault. Thor smiled and looked across at his friend.

“I know. You wouldn’t dare to do that.” Thor winked. “But, he was insistent. Loki said the people trust me more, which is probably true. So, for now, I’m taking the mantle until we can settle somewhere new and figure things out more permanently.”

“Where are we going, anyway?” Alice asked. 

“We’re going to a planet that is not under Asgard’s rule, but we are allies with them.” Thor said. “It’s a place called Kilron. A planet full of medics and people who practice healing.”

“Why are we going there?” Alice raised an eyebrow. Thor heard the sound of a baby crying in the distance. He scrunched in eyebrows together and tried to ignore the sound of the painful cries. He didn’t need a reminder of what had just happened.

“Evig’s explosions hurt a lot of people, both physically and emotionally. The people of Kilron can help us.” Thor looked out of the window again, but he could no longer ignore the crying in the distance. He sighed and stood, ready to address the people as their King. “It’s time for me to take care of these people.”

“You’ll be a great king, Thor.” Alice took Thor’s hand again. She looked into his eyes and could see all the pain that the past few hours had brought him. His eyes didn’t sparkle like they always did. He really was broken. “Take care of them.”

Thor nodded and turned to walk away. After a few steps, he stopped and turned back around. “He’s down the corridor and in room 1512.” Thor smiled and turned back around and left.

After Thor disappeared from sight, Alice managed to muster up the courage to find Loki. She was afraid that he would get angry at her for looking for him when he requested to be alone. Yet, she didn’t really care. Alice knew that Loki needed someone, despite how much he denied it. Loki was incredibly stubborn and he always built so many walls up around himself. Alice couldn’t let him construct another.

When Alice reached room 1512, she found that the door was closed. When she reached forward to the sliding mechanism, she felt that it was unlocked. Clearly, Loki didn’t bother to lock the door behind Thor after he left. Instead of knocking, Alice simply slid the door open and let herself inside.

The room was small and dimly lit. Loki was crouched over on a chair facing a window. Alice could see his puffy eyes and emotionless face in the reflection of the glass. Upon hearing the door open, Loki rubbed his eyes and groaned.

“I thought I said no one was to come in here.” Loki growled. Alice rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.

“I didn’t think that would apply to me.” Alice said. Loki looked up into the glass of the window and saw Alice’s reflection staring back at him. He sighed and let his head fall again. He rubbed his hands over his face and let his head rest against his palms.

“I called him father.” Loki mumbled into his hands. Alice could barely make out his voice through the distortion. She walked closer to him, still being weary of Loki’s possible temper. “I finally called him father and it was when he was dying.”

Alice wasn’t sure what to say. She was pretty sure there was nothing she could say. Loki had lost both of his parents in the span of a few short days. Carefully, Alice finally reached Loki and placed her hands on his shoulders. He turned to look at her with a faint smile. He rested his hand over hers, covering her ring with his cold fingers.

“I didn’t think it was possible to love someone that you also hate.” Loki laughed with a wicked tone. “The man saved my life and yet also destroyed it. How ironic.”

“I’m so sorry.” Alice whispered as Loki pulled her onto his lap. She curled into him as he ran his fingers down her back and through her hair. The material of her suit felt oddly comforting under his fingertips. It was almost as if he felt safer knowing that Alice was able to properly protect herself.

“There is no time for grieving, my dear. The people need me.” Loki pressed a kiss to Alice’s forehead. “They need us.”

“I want to protect them.” Alice pulled away and maneuvered herself so she was facing Loki. She cupped his cheeks with her shaking hands. 

“I know you do.” Loki smiled. He bit his lip and looked past Alice into the stars. Alice ran her fingers down Loki’s cheekbones as if she was trying to memorize every inch of his face.

“Where did you go when you left our room? I was so worried about you. I couldn’t find you anywhere.” Alice swallowed a lump in her throat. The memory of running through the city trying to find Loki haunted her. She was sure she would never see him again.

“I was simply warning the people of the palace.” Loki looked away once again. He ran his hands down Alice’s waist and gently slid her off his lap. He stood up and took her into his arms. “I fear we may not have peace for a long time, Alice. I want you to know that whatever happens, I love you. Please know that everything I do is to protect you.”

“Loki what are you talking about?” Alice whispered against his neck. Loki simply shook his head and tightened his arms around her.

“Please, just tell me you love me.” Loki said through gritted teeth. Alice pulled away and stared into Loki’s eyes. They were filled with tears as he looked down to her.

“I love you!” Alice assured him. She took his hands and tightened her hold on them. “You aren’t telling me something. Please, you can’t hide things from me. I need to know how to help you.”

Loki sighed, knowing there was no way he was going to win this. He had to tell Alice eventually, and if he didn’t, then he may be putting her life in danger in the future. “I believe Evig is working with someone who is much too powerful for us to handle.”

“Who?” Alice asked. Loki shut his eyes tightly as if the thought alone was giving him pain. 

“Do you remember when you first told me about your past?” Loki opened his eyes as he asked her his question. A sweet smile played on Alice’s lips as she thought about that night.

“How could I forget? It was the first time you ever stayed the night with me. Wow, that feels like forever ago.” Alice giggled. Loki smirked, but it soon faded from his face.

“Do you remember when I told you that someone was forcing me to do those things in New York?” Loki questioned. Alice nodded her head and scrunched her eyebrows together.

“Yes, but you never told me their name.” Alice said. Loki looked away for a moment. Every bone in his body ached at the idea of uttering the madman’s name. He felt as though he’d pop right up in the ship if he said it.

“I believe…that man is working with Evig. The herder from Alfheim described someone who I knew when I spent time with him. His name is Ebony Maw and he was this man’s most dedicated follower.” Loki’s hands were shaking in Alice’s. Her thumbs rubbed over the back of Loki’s hands as he spoke. The tiny circles she was drawing were the only thing keeping Loki from having a breakdown. “If Evig is truly working with Maw, then he’s also working for the man who tortured me.”

“What does that mean?” Alice asked. 

“It means that Evig is coming for Asgard, and Ebony Maw is coming for me.” Loki scrunched his eyes closed again as he dropped Alice’s hands. He walked across the room trying to calm himself down.

“Why would this Ebony guy come for you? What have you done?” Alice took a step towards Loki but soon stopped when she saw how anxious he was getting.

“He works for the man tortured me.” Loki said.

“Yeah, and? You’ve been away from this guy for years, why would he come for you now?” Alice asked. Loki ran his hands through his hair as he paced around the room.

“Because they know I had the tesseract.” Loki paced around faster. Alice could see his breath getting labored as he worked himself up, but she was frozen in place. She was trying to process everything that was happening. “And now that they know that, they’re coming for me.”

“Why, Loki? Please, tell me.” Alice took another few steps forward. Loki turned to her with fire in his eyes. 

“Because I failed him. My job was to deliver the tesseract to him in exchange for Midgard. And, as you could tell from seeing me in Stark’s cell, I failed. The tesseract was, to his belief, lost. But, now he knows I have it and he wants it. Without the tesseract, he can’t complete his mission.” Loki turned to Alice, and before she had the chance to ask what the hell that meant, he explained. “Inside the tesseract is an infinity stone. The man who tortured me was on a quest to collect all six of them. If he was to do this, he would complete his goal of being able to erase half the universe from existence.

“We know the whereabouts of five of them. The first was in the tesseract. The second is in Vision’s head. The third was secured by Thor after he faced the dark elves. The fourth is safe on a planet called Xandar. The fifth is with a friend of Thor and me.” Loki glanced down at the floor. Alice was trembling where she stood. A man wanted to destroy half the universe using the power of some rocks? This made no sense. She didn’t want it to make sense. She wanted this all to be fake.

“Where’s the tesseract, Loki?” Alice whispered. 

“I don’t know.” Loki paused. “Thor secured it after I used it to save you.” 

“What can we do to stop this guy?” Alice felt her feet finally moving. She stood facing Loki, but his back was to her. He couldn’t look at the pain on her face.

“We kill Evig, and hope to take Ebony Maw down with him. That way we can’t be tracked any further.” Loki muttered. Alice ran a hand down Loki’s back. She was trying to touch anything that was real at this moment, because nothing seemed legitimate at this point.

“Tell me this man’s name.” Alice dropped her hand from Loki’s back. He sighed and slowly turned towards her. She could see the fear in his eyes. 

“Thanos.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow so a lot happened. Odin was killed, the Asgardians escaped Evig, and we found out that Evig is in fact working with Ebony Maw, and therefore working with Thanos. 
> 
> Also, just a note! Kilron is a completely fictional place and I didn’t intend to base it off anything! I came up with the name out of nowhere for the purpose of moving the plot along.


	41. I'm Sorry*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: NSFW content!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated, thanks for reading!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 4662

Kilron was a beautiful planet. It was full of life and happiness. Every person that lived on the planet was incredibly intelligent and offered their help whenever they could. They were possibly some of the nicest people that Alice had ever met. They had given the Asgardians everything they needed: homes, food, clothing. Alice eagerly accepted a clean pair of pants and a t-shirt. It felt more familiar.

The Asgardian refugees had resided on Kilron for almost two weeks, and there had been no sign of Evig coming for them. Alice knew that he was trying to find them. She knew that Thanos and Ebony Maw were still terrible threats. 

Thor was taking on the mantle of king quite nicely. Loki had assisted him in many of his decisions. Alice even put her say in every now and then when a decision couldn’t be determined. Thor and Loki could see the way that the people of Asgard began to look to her. Without Frigga there, the Asgardians wanted someone to view as a leader. She didn’t realize how much she meant to them. Loki was immensely proud of her and how much she had grown.

Yet, Alice could tell that something was off with Loki. Even on the quietest nights, after returning back to their room into the late hours of the night, he would lay awake. He would slip out of bed and pace around the room. The bags under his eyes had become darker and his lips were red from constantly being nibbled on. He was a wreck, and Alice knew exactly why. He was terrified, though he wouldn’t admit it. He was one of two people on the planet who knew about Thanos. He didn’t want Alice to tell anyone out of fear that their knowledge of him would only bring him closer. He was reluctant to have Alice know anything to begin with.

There was nothing Alice could do to calm him down. Whenever she tried to distract him, she could still see the fear deep in his eyes. Whenever she kissed him, she could feel how hesitant he was. He would even yell at her out of nowhere sometimes because of all the pain that was weighing him down. It was unlike Alice had ever seen before, and it made her even more afraid of what was to come.

Loki had felt terrible about it all. He knew he was hurting her without meaning to. He barely saw her, and even when they were together, he just passed his stress onto her. She didn’t deserve it, and Loki knew what he was doing wrong, but he couldn’t find his control during all of this.

After a long day of strategizing a plan to move the Asgardians away from Kilron, Alice could see how anxious Loki was. Heimdall had admitted that he couldn’t see Evig clearly due to a dark magic he shrouded himself with. This information set Loki off, and his panic was clearer now than ever. When the group dispersed, Alice made sure to keep herself close to Loki. She knew he needed her.

“Hey.” Alice wrapped her arms around Loki as he began to walk away. He smiled down at her and ran a hand through her hair. It had grown longer and Loki thought it made her look even more like an Asgardian princess.

“My love.” Loki pulled her in closer. They walked slowly through the building’s bright hallways. Alice could tell Loki’s mind was elsewhere but she understood why. Still, she wanted him to relax, even if it was just for a few minutes.

“Do you have any more meetings today?” Alice asked. Loki pursed his lips as he thought about the rest of the day. There were so many things floating around in his mind that he often forgot about these things.

“Yes, tonight. Until then, I’m free.” Loki rubbed his hand over Alice’s back as they turned towards their room. Alice input the code to their room and walked inside. It was incredibly small compared to Loki’s chambers on Asgard or Alice’s room in Stark Tower, but it was all they needed. 

“Why don’t we just take this time to ourselves?” Alice turned around and ran her hands down Loki’s arms. “You need to let yourself relax.”

“Considering everything that’s been happening I think that’s a bit hard to do.” Loki snapped. Alice shrunk back at Loki’s tone. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry.”

“Just more proof you need to try and take your mind off things.” Alice mumbled as she walked across the room. She crawled onto the bed and folded into herself. She hugged her legs as she rested her head on her knees. She missed the peace that she had with Loki before. No matter what she tried, he always ended up snapping at her. He was stressed and frustrated and all she wanted to do was help him.

Alice felt the bed sink behind her. A cool hand ran down her shoulder and arm as an even cooler set of lips pressed to the side of her neck. She sighed and rolled her head over slightly, exposing more of her skin to Loki. He pulled her closer to him as he kissed up and down her neck.

“You deserve much better than I’ve been giving you.” Loki mumbled as he brushed his lips along the back of her neck. One arm wrapped around her waist, his fingers teasing the soft skin under her shirt. “The future wife of a prince doesn’t deserve to be put through this stress.”

“It’s not your fault.” Alice traced her fingers over Loki’s. His hand wandered upwards to cup her breast. He kneaded the soft flesh while kissing the back of Alice’s neck.

“Let me make it up to you.” Loki whispered. Alice let out a soft moan as he gently bit the skin just over her pulse. Alice nodded quickly as Loki turned her around in his arms so she faced him. “My beautiful princess.”

Loki cupped her cheek and pulled her into him, kissing her gently. Alice could feel his hesitation as his mind began to wander, but she wasn’t willing to lose him to his thoughts just yet. Alice stood up on her knees, wrapping her arms around his neck. Loki moaned at Alice taking control, his hands moving down to grip at her hips. Alice crawled on top of him, kissing him with everything she had. She ran her fingers through his hand and down his neck. She could feel his lips loosening against her as he relaxed into her touch. 

Loki pulled away from her lips momentarily just to slip Alice’s shirt over her head. Alice gasped at the feeling of the cool air on her bare skin as Loki went back in to kiss her. She felt him hardening underneath her. Alice felt her head spinning. This was the most contact she had gotten in weeks. She worked her hands over his shirt, trying to shed it off of him. Loki chuckled as he pulled away from her to pull it off. Alice ran her hands down his bare chest, dipping her fingers into the curves of his muscles.

“I missed this.” Alice admitted as she ran her hands all over Loki’s body. He smirked as he reached behind her to unclip her bra, letting her breasts fall freely. He cupped them eagerly, massaging the muscles in his fingers. Alice whined and ground herself down on Loki, causing the god to groan in pleasure.

“After being able to fuck multiple times a day almost every day and then suddenly getting nothing, I’m sure we’re both quite desperate.” Loki grinned cheekily as he pushed Alice down onto her back. She bounced on the sheets with a yelp as Loki attached his lips to her collarbone. He sucked tiny bruises into the skin as he ran his hands across her breasts and down her sides. She moaned as he ran his hands all over her, desperate for more. 

Loki missed the way her body felt under her. It had felt like years since he had run his hands over her bare skin, his fingers dipping between the valley of her breasts. His lips were trailing over her neck and down her body, leaving wet kisses and tiny bruises in their wake. Alice’s moans above him were heavenly, and the more she let the angelic sounds escape her lips, the more Loki found himself forgetting about the dire situation they were in.

Loki crawled further down Alice’s body, kissing every inch of her that he could reach. He didn’t know how much time they had but he didn’t want to miss a single part of her. She deserved this. She deserved to be loved.

When Loki reached the top of her pants, he looked up at her. She was biting her lip and her arms were shaking as she held herself up to watch him. Loki slowly unbuttoned her pants. He slid them off of her carefully, kissing all the way down her legs as he removed the article of clothing. When her pants finally came off and he tossed them to the ground, Loki lifted her legs and started kissing backs of them. Alice whined as he nibbled at the insides of her thighs. He knew that was a spot that always set her off.

Loki kept his eyes on her as he kissed along her body. Her cheeks were flushed a deep crimson. Loki smirked at the knowledge of him still being able to affect her like this. 

“You are so beautiful. You deserve to be worshipped.” Loki hummed as he reached her hip bone. He kissed along the bottom of her stomach, just above the band of her panties. Loki shut his eyes as he kissed down her clothed center. Alice gasped and her hands fisted into the sheets as he touched her softly. 

“Loki, please.” Alice moaned. Loki chuckled as he hooked his thumbs under her panties and pulled them off her legs. Alice bit her lip as the cold air from the room hit her wet center. Loki spread her legs and leaned in. He inhaled her scent with a pleasant groan.

“You’re positively dripping.” Loki chuckled. Alice rolled her eyes as he kissed around the edges of her pussy without actually touching it.

“You just kissed my entire body, of course I’m dripping.” Alice giggled. Loki laughed as he pressed another kiss to the inside of her thigh. Loki glanced up at Alice as she still kept herself held up on her elbows. 

“Keep your eyes on me, darling.” Loki whispered as he traced a finger over Alice’s clit. She was swollen and needy, and Loki loved it. He rubbed tiny circles over her little bud as he kept his eyes on her. She was biting her lip so hard that Loki could see her lip getting redder and redder. She was touch deprived and he knew how sensitive she would be because of that. 

Loki leaned in a licked a thick stripe up Alice’s folds, then traced a tiny circle over her clit. She cried at the sensation of being touched. Loki moved his fingers down and pushed one into her tight, wet hole. She was shaking as he kissed her clit. He licked little shapes and patterns over her while he gently pumped his finger in and out of her. Alice did her best to keep her eyes focused on Loki, but she just wanted to throw her head back and moan. 

Loki shut his eyes as he devoured her. He was groaning against her as he rutted his hips into the bed. She was delicious and he had missed this so much. Her moans were loud and airy. Her body was shaking as he tasted her all over. Her wetness was dripping down his chin as he licked every inch of her pussy. Loki pushed a second finger into her tight hole with ease because of how wet and aroused she was. Alice bit her lip to suppress her moans.

Loki opened his eyes as he watched her stare down at him. He unhooked his other hand from around her thigh to give a small wave. “Be loud, darling. No one can hear us now.”

Loki dove back in, curling and pumping his fingers without any restraint. Alice’s moans were getting even louder than before as Loki fucked her with his fingers. He knew every spot to hit and curl against and it was sending Alice closer to the edge faster than she thought. Her left hand reached down to hold Loki’s hair, keeping him close to her core. She admired the contrast of her bright diamond ring against his raven black hair, and almost came at the reminder that this glorious man was going to be her husband.

“I’m close, Loki! Please don’t stop!” Alice gasped out as he circled her clit with the tip of his tongue. His fingers were fucking her so fast she was becoming numb from the pleasure.

“I know how long you’ve waited for this, baby. Cum for me whenever you want. You’ve been so good.” Loki looked into her eyes as he spoke. Alice blushed at the compliment. Loki smiled fondly up at her at her reaction. He kept his eyes on her as he wrapped his lips around her clit and sucked gently at it. 

“Fuck, Loki!” Alice screamed as her orgasm washed over her. She was panting heavily as she let her climax shake her bones. Loki didn’t stop, he continued lapping her up until her orgasm receded. 

“So beautiful, my wife.” Loki kissed his way back up Alice’s stomach as she calmed down. Her cheeks and chest were flushed red as she giggled. She pulled Loki’s face up to hers and kissed him deeply. She tasted herself on his tongue but she couldn’t care less. Loki was here, completely here, and she loved him.

“I’m not your wife yet.” Alice kissed the tip of Loki’s nose. He waved his hand and let his trousers disappear off of his body. He chuckled as Alice blushed even more at the sight of him.

“But one day you will be, and I am more than eager for that day to arrive.” Loki nuzzled against Alice’s warm cheek. His icy skin felt beautiful against her warmth and Alice was sure she wanted to stay like this forever. 

“Make love to me, Loki. I want to feel you.” Alice brushed her fingers along Loki’s cheeks. He smirked and pressed a long, loving kiss to her forehead.

Loki lined himself up with Alice’s hole. He brushed his tip across her clit then over her folds. He teased her before finally pushing the head of his cock into her. Alice let her head fall backwards. Weeks without him felt like years as he tried to fit inside of her. She was tight and he was huge. It was taking everything in Loki’s power not to ram into her and fuck her senseless. She needed to adjust to him and he knew that.

Loki took in deep breaths as he finally seated himself fully inside of her. Alice’s arms came up to wrap around his neck, holding him close to her. She never wanted to let go. Loki rested his head on her chest as he let her adjust to him. He kissed the locket that held his gift of a star to her before trailing his lips back up to hers.

When he began to thrust his hips gently, Alice let out a sweet sigh into his mouth. He felt so good inside of her again. She needed this, he needed this. This was the closest they had been in weeks and they wanted this to last. Loki was slow with his thrusts. This time, it was all about their love. It was Loki trying to apologize to Alice for pushing her away and being so distant. It was Alice trying to show Loki that she wasn’t going anywhere. It was just them in this moment. No one else existed.

Loki’s hips were pushing deeper into her as he made love to her. She was moaning and whining beneath him. Her eyes with filling with the familiar tears of pleasure that Loki loved to see so much. He kissed along her cheek and forehead, whispering how much he loved her. Her hands rubbed down his neck, shoulders, arms, and back. With every thrust and grunt and groan, she wanted to feel him more.

Alice pushed her hips up to meet his thrusts, angling herself in a way so that he could fuck her deeper. Loki grunted as she clenched around his cock. He could feel dew beads of sweat forming on his brow as he pushed in and out of her.

“You feel so good.” Loki whispered as he pressed kisses to her neck. Alice cried out as she felt herself coming closer and closer to the edge. She wanted to hold back, wishing this would last for long, but with the way that Loki was so sensually thrusting into her, fucking her with such love, she wasn’t sure how long she could last. 

Alice couldn’t contain herself as much as she wished she could. With a particularly deep thrust, Alice fell over the edge of pleasure. Her orgasm consumed her, causing her walls to constrict around Loki. He hissed at the tightness her body provided. He fucked her through her orgasm until her body stopped trembling from bliss.

Loki pulled himself out slowly as Alice fluttered her eyes open. She saw him working his hand over his cock, ready to release on her stomach. Alice reached down and placed her hand over Loki’s.

“More.” Alice winked. Loki lifted an eyebrow as he slowed his movements over his cock.

“Are you sure you’re not too sensitive, love?” Loki brushed her fingertips over Alice’s thighs. The muscles quaked under his touch but Alice shook her head.

“I need more.” Alice giggled. 

“If you insist.” Loki winked with a chuckle. He turned Alice onto her side and placed himself behind her. Her warm back pressed against his chest as he hooked her leg over his hip. He aligned himself back up with her spent hole and pushed in again. Alice moaned deeply, the sound coming from the depths of her chest. Loki spent no time waiting. He began bucking his hips up into her with desperation.

Alice tossed her head back onto Loki’s shoulder as his nails dug into her thighs. Loki kissed her shoulder as he fucked her faster and harder. His cock was so deep in her that Alice was beginning to literally see stars. 

“Fuck, Loki! Oh my god!” Alice cried out. Loki growled and bit down on her neck, sucking a bruise into the delicate skin. His arms were holding her so tightly and his hips were snapping into her so quickly. Her hole kept tightening around him as she approached her second orgasm. Loki’s thrusts were becoming sloppy as he fucked her faster, eager to reach his own point of release.

“Tell me what you want.” Loki grunted as he moved a hand to tease her clit. He circled the little bit between his fingers while pounding into her. His balls slapped against her core, making her red and tender.

“Cum in me. I want to feel you inside me.” Alice hissed through her teeth. 

“Dirty girl.” Loki chuckled as he played with her clit faster. Alice turned her head around and connected her lips to Loki’s. His tongue caressed her lip, begging for access. Alice parted her lips and tangled their tongues together. Loki groaned into her mouth as he felt her tightening around him again. He bucked up into her with such powerful force that Alice came around him again. Her hole tightened as she let her third orgasm consume her. Loki grunted as he fucked into her with a few more ragged thrusts, then came inside of her. He pumped himself through his orgasm, coating her with his cum. 

Loki kissed her deeply as he pulled out from her body. Alice whined at the loss of him. She turned around in his arms so he could kiss her more. She loved the way he felt against her. Loki cleaned her up quickly. He couldn’t wait to just hold her.

“I’m sorry I’ve been so distant recently.” Loki mumbled as he pulled apart from her. He wrapped an arm around her and held her close to his body. “I never meant to hurt you.”

“I know. I just don’t want you to take your frustration out on me.” Alice blushed. “I mean, if you want to fuck the frustration out, that’s one thing. But yelling at me isn’t.”

“Gods, I know. I’m so sorry.” Loki leaned his forehead against Alice’s. He shut his eyes and just let himself relax into her touch. “I’ll make it up to you. When this whole thing is over, we’ll go back to Midgard. We’ll get a little house away from everyone else. I won’t put you in danger any longer.”

“That sounds nice.” Alice laughed as she pressed a kiss to Loki’s cheek. “Stay with me.”

“Darling…”

“At least until your meeting tonight.” Alice took Loki’s hand in hers. She folded their fingers together and watched the way their hands fit perfectly together. 

“Of course, there’s nowhere I’d rather be.” Loki smiled. Alice giggled as Loki pulled the bed covers over them. She crawled on top of him to lay across his stomach. She rested her chin on his chest and stared into his eyes. For once, they were completely focused on her.

“What are you thinking about?” Alice twirled a strand of Loki’s hair through her fingers. Alice saw Loki’s cheeks ignite in a small blush as he placed another pillow behind him so he could sit up slightly to look at Alice. He ran his fingers through her messy hair, admiring the way it fell over her shoulders and around him.

“You.” Loki admitted. Alice rolled her eyes but still felt her face warming up.

“What about me?” Alice winked. Loki smirked and watched his fingers glide through her hair like a ship through water.

“How you would look in a wedding dress.” Loki smiled. Alice bit her lip and hid her face. Loki placed a finger under her chin and made her look back up at him. “Still trying to hide that pretty blush from me?”

“Sorry.” Alice giggled. “What type of dresses do Asgardians wear for weddings?”

“Colorful ornate ones. But I want you to wear one from Midgard.” Loki shrugged. “You’d feel more comfortable in that anyway.”

“And what will you wear?” Alice asked playfully. Loki chuckled as he let his hands wander under the sheets to rub along Alice’s bare back. She shivered under his magic touch.

“Probably Asgardian armor. Maybe a suit. I’ll see how I feel that day.” Loki winked. 

“Will you wear the horns? I’d love to see how that pairs with a suit.” Alice laughed. Loki scoffed and rolled his eyes teasingly.

“I bet it would look quite regal.” Loki poked Alice’s side. She let out a squeal and laughed.

“I’m sure it will, my prince.” Alice joked. She leaned her head on his chest and traced patterns along his skin with her fingers. A heart here, a circle there. She got lost in the feeling of just being with him like before. “I can’t wait to marry you.”

“I can’t wait to see the look on Stark’s face when he finds out you’re engaged, and engaged to me nonetheless.” Loki tossed his head back and laughed. He could just picture the way Tony would react. His face would get red and he’d be a mixture between pissed off, shocked, and possibly happy, depending on his mood. Loki couldn’t wait for that day.

“When we get back to Midgard, can we tell everyone? I mean, Thor doesn’t even know yet.” Alice blushed. Loki tilted Alice’s head up to look at him. He leaned over to kiss her nose gently.

“I promise you that the second we get back, we’ll plaster it all across the planet.” Loki smirked. Alice giggled and rested her head back on his chest.

“I’d quite like that.”

“Then that is just what you’ll get, my dear.”

Loki and Alice stayed hidden away in their tiny room for as long as they could. However, Loki couldn’t ignore the knocking on the door that signaled to him that it was time for another meeting. He didn’t want to go. He didn’t want to face reality again. He kissed Alice’s warm lips, and assured her that he would be back later. As soon as Loki slipped out of the door, Alice felt half of her heart leave with him. She was worried but she couldn’t tell why. 

For some reason, things just didn’t feel right.

 

**

 

Heimdall hated the feeling of not knowing what was going to happen. It was his purpose to watch the skies and see where the souls resided. Yet, the one soul that he wanted to watch was just out of his view.

He would see flickers of Evig flash across his vision every now and then. It was nothing clear. He would see a flash of his red eyes. He would see his spidery fingers curling around his deadly sword. But past that, he could see nothing. It was as if he was looking through a camera lens that was too zoomed in. It was all just a tease.

The air was quiet on Kilron. It was honestly too quiet for Heimdall’s liking. Everything was still, but nothing felt right. Heimdall could feel something crawling down his spine. He willed himself to find Evig but nothing was coming into his mind. Everything was foggy…too foggy.

Heimdall continued pacing along the edge of the platform that overlooked the city. It was small but he could see the power that lied within it. Heimdall glanced up at the stars, wishing he could see something, anything.

He continued his walk slowly but impatiently. A cool breeze brushed the back of his neck. Heimdall paused and turned around. There was a disturbance in the air around him. He squinted at the stars and saw the twinkling lights trembling. 

“What the hell?” Heimdall grumbled. He took a step forward as he felt the air around him moving around quicker. A steady, intense breeze whipped around him. Heimdall’s eyes widened as he realized what this was. It was an invisible ship.

“Fuck!” Heimdall cursed. He turned and began to run towards the city. He needed to warn the princes to evacuate again. 

Heimdall felt his chest tightening as he began to run down the hillside. As Heimdall began to speed up, he felt something sharp pierce through his chest. He collapsed to the ground with a scream. Heimdall looked down and saw the wicked blade of Evig’s sword piercing through his chest. Heimdall felt the life drifting from him as he tried to crawl closer to the city.

“Thor…Loki…he’s…” Heimdall felt his arms collapse under him as he rested against the ground. Heimdall curled his fists, trying to move, but it was no use. He shut his eyes and took his last breath, lying completely still on the ground.

The sound of crunching footsteps came from behind Heimdall’s body. Evig looked down at Heimdall’s body with a smirk. He ripped his sword back out from Heimdall’s dead body. He pulled out a rag from his belt and wiped his blood off the blade.

“My lord, what is our next move?” One of Evig’s servants growled from behind him. Evig pointed his nose upwards as he looked at the city below them. 

“Kill them all. It is time for Asgard to fall.”


	42. Thank You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been dreading uploading this chapter but here it is. I'm sorry for what's about to come. Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 4352

Alice drummed her fingertips against the pillow where Loki had laid his head. She missed him while he was away. She couldn’t stop thinking about the way he touched her so softly after so long. She craved it again. She was counting down the minutes until the door slid open and Loki sauntered back in. She brushed her fingers over the pillowcase, watching the material bend under her fingers. 

Though the window to outside was closed, Alice could hear some faint noise from outside. She didn’t think much of it, but then the sound became louder and louder. Alice rolled over in bed and wrapped the blanket around her bare body as she walked over to the window to see what was happening. In the distance, Alice could see a raging fire. She squinted, but was soon thrown off her feet as an explosion went off near her window. 

“What the fuck!” Alice yelled. She crawled across the floor and slipped her clothes back on. She ran back across the room to look at the window. She immediately recognized the soldiers from Evig’s army back on Asgard. Alice clicked her suit on, feeling the material cover her within seconds. Alice spun on her heel and ran out the door trying to find Loki.

She zoomed through the hallways as fast as she could but she had no idea where Loki or Thor would be. 

“Heimdall!” Alice called out, remembering what Loki told her about calling out his name to help guide her. Yet, there was no response. The air was completely quiet as she kept calling out his name. Alice groaned and shook her head. “Guess I’m on my own this time.”

As Alice ran down the hall, she felt someone grab onto her leg. She turned around, ready to blast a flame into whoever grabbed her, but saw it was just a young Asgardian boy. His eyes were full of tears as he stared at her. He looked so much like Peter that Alice felt herself literally trying to remember that he wasn’t here with them. 

“I can’t find my mommy!” He cried. Alice crouched down and pulled him against the wall.

“We’ll find your mommy, alright? Stay with me.” Alice brushed her hand along his cheek. The sound of an explosion in the distance sent the boy flying into Alice’s arms. She held him, covering his ears with her hand as she rocked him back and forth.

“I want my mommy!” The young boy screamed. She ran her hands through his tussled brown hair as she waited for the vibrations of the explosion to end. Once the ground settled, she looked down at the boy.

“Let’s go. Stay close to me.” Alice held onto the boy’s hand as she started weaving through the hallways. The lights were flickering on and off as she made her way through the building. As they rounded a corner, Alice could see soldiers running towards them. She snapped her head around and saw a closet to her right. “Get in!” She ushered the boy inside, not waiting for an answer. She closed the door and turned to face the soldiers running towards her.

Alice ignited her hands in flames and began to shoot them at the running soldiers. They collapsed under the power of her fire. It seemed like they came in waves as more and more poured into the room. Alice kept firing balls of fire at them, hoping to at least slow them down.

She heard a growl come from behind her. Alice turned around and saw a soldier holding a sword right above her head. Suddenly, the soldier collapsed, and Alice saw Sif standing behind him.

“Sif!” Alice squealed. Sif smirked and twirled her sword in her hand.

“Princess.” Sif nodded as she stepped towards Alice. She bowed her head with a chuckle before focusing her attention on the soldiers climbing through the flames. “Shall we?”

“We shall.” Alice grinned. Alice and Sif charged towards the soldiers without any fear. Sif slashed through the men as if they were soft butter. Alice’s burning fists clenched around their throats as she took the air from their body. They cleared out the hall side by side.

Alice heard a scream coming from the other end of the hall. She turned to see a soldier prying open the closet that the young boy was hiding in. She growled and sent her foot stomping to the ground, causing an earthquake to erupt directly under the soldiers. They collapsed onto the ground as she walked over to them. 

“Don’t you dare touch him.” Alice growled as her whole arms lit up in flames. She thrusted the fire forward and engulfed the soldiers in flames. She saw the life leave their eyes and a part of her felt disgusted with what she had done. But then, she turned to see the little boy looking at her with awe, and suddenly, she didn’t care about anything. Those soldiers were evil. She had saved this young boy’s life and that was all that mattered

“Thank you, princess.” He whispered. Alice smiled and picked him up to rest him on her hip. He wrapped his arms around her neck as she carried him over to Sif.

“We need to find his mom.” Alice nodded her head to the boy. “And we need to find Thor and Loki.”

“I’ve been looking for them but I can’t find them anywhere.” Sif groaned. “A bunch of people are hiding underground. His mother is probably there.”

“I tried calling out for Heimdall to help guide me to them but he isn’t responding.” Alice chewed on her lip. “Take him. I’m going to look for Thor and Loki.”

“Alice, wouldn’t it be best if I stay with you?” Sif asked as Alice handed the boy over to her. Alice shook her head with a faint smile.

“It’s more important to get him to safety. I’ll see you soon.” Alice nodded once before turning around and running down the hallway. Sif stood there with a pit in her stomach. She didn’t have a good feeling about separating. Yet, as the boy started crying in her arms, she knew she needed to put him before herself.

Almost an hour had passed since Alice had departed from Sif and yet she couldn’t find anyone. The only people she found were slain Asgardian soldiers. Their bodies were pierced from Evig’s sword she could see from their wounds. She did run into several hundred soldiers, though. No matter how many soldiers Alice took down, it seemed that they only multiplied. She has just finished taking down another wave of them when she heard the familiar sound of boots trampling down the hallway.

“Alice!” She heard Thor call out. She whipped her head around to see Loki and Thor rounding the corner to the room she was in. When Loki caught sight of her, he froze. She could see both the relief and terror in his eyes. He was relieved to see her alive but terrified at the sight of the dead soldiers around her all plastered with burn marks. 

“Loki!” Alice yelled with tears in her eyes as she ran towards him. His feet picked up speed as he ran to her. His arms reached out and grabbed her, taking her into his arms. He pressed his lips to hers desperately. His hands wrapped around her cheeks, holding her in place there. When they finally parted, Loki rested his forehead on Alice’s, his breathing choppy and labored.

“I thought I lost you.” Loki didn’t dare close his eyes. He couldn’t look away from her. “Thor and I went back to our room and…and you weren’t there. I couldn’t find you anywhere.”

“I’m here. I’m here, I promise.” Alice hugged him. “I’m not going anywhere. I love you.”

“I love you.” Loki whispered. 

“I don’t mean to break this up, but we really must go.” Thor said from behind Loki. The couple pulled away and looked at Thor for guidance. “We’re going to try and lead the people from their refuge to the ship.” Thor looked directly at Alice. “We all must fight.”

“That’s what I like to hear.” Alice smirked. Thor laughed and patted her shoulder.

“You’ve grown so much from when I first met you. I love that.” Loki rolled his eyes at Thor’s comment. The last thing Loki wanted was for Alice to fight but he knew there was no other choice. He wrapped his arm around Alice and began to lead her through the halls quickly.

The refuge room underground wasn’t too far from where Loki and Thor had found Alice. They gathered up the people as quickly as they could. Asgardians mixed with people from Kilron flooded through the doors to escape. Alice could see that only a few Asgardian soldiers were left among them. She gulped, Evig had really torn through them.

The city was quiet as the people walked through the streets. Every now and then, a few soldiers would run towards them, but would quickly be taken out by Thor’s hammer. Alice could see their ship in the distance and she was praying that they got to the ship safely.

Yet, Alice’s prayers must have been ignored, since in the distance, Evig’s figure came into view. 

He stood there, pride written all over his face. Alice stopped the people from walking as scared murmurs filled the air. Thor and Loki took a few steps forward, ready to face the evil man. 

“Surrender or die.” Evig called out as he walked closer. Thor tossed his hammer between both hands.

“I’m not a fan of either of those options.” He shrugged. Evig growled and stepped closer. Alice could hear the people starting to panic behind her. 

“You have no choice.” Evig raised his sword. Alice could see the brothers hesitate as they stared at the deadly weapon. “Now surrender or you will follow the fate of your precious guardian.”

Evig waved his hand and two of his soldiers came forward holding Heimdall’s body. Alice covered her mouth with her shaking hand. Her eyes widened in fear seeing Heimdall dead in their arms. The soldiers tossed Heimdall’s body to ground and Evig drove his sword into his body again. Alice couldn’t see Loki and Thor’s faces, but she could tell that they were petrified.

“No!” Thor screamed. With the most powerful throw Alice had ever seen, Thor launched his hammer towards Evig. Mjolnir flew through the air heading straight towards Evig. Evig smirked and held his sword up as Mjolnir approached him. Just as the hammer was about to hit Evig, he thrusted his sword out and sliced through the hammer, causing Thor’s weapon to break to pieces around him. 

“Dark magic works in mysterious ways.” Evig laughed. Alice walked forward to stand between Thor and Loki. She felt Loki take her hand in his. She turned to look at him as she watched his face contort into sorrow.

“We can do this.” Alice assured him with a squeeze of his hand. Loki nodded and looked to Thor. They could see the army advancing on them. As Alice saw their numbers, she was beginning to wonder if she had even killed any of them before. Loki turned to the people behind him.

“Warriors, get these people to safety. We will take care of this.” Loki said to everyone. Fandral stepped forward and placed his fist over his chest.

“We stand with you.” Fandral said proudly. Volstagg stepped forward, his hand in the same spot.

“Forever.” He nodded.

“For Asgard.” Hogun came forward with Sif on his heels.

“For you.” Sif looked at Alice. Alice could tell that she meant part of that for her. She smiled at her friend before turning back around to the advancing army. 

She slowly lit her fingers on fire and took a step forward so that Loki and Thor were behind her. Alice let her arms stretch out as she sent a huge wave of fire hurtling into the soldiers. Most of them collapsed under the fire, but some were still able to crawl through. She kept firing at them for just long enough for the people to get away from the battlefield. She glanced over her shoulder and saw that the people had made their way through the streets away from them and she decided it was time to get closer.

The group of fighters ran forwards towards the soldiers. Evig stayed back and watched the fight ensue. His eyes were glued to the girl who was lighting up the battlefield. She was becoming too much of a threat. Yet, he didn’t care if all of his soldiers died. He needed to kill the princes. As long as they were dead, Asgard would be too weak and it would fall directly into his hands.

Alice had become separated from Thor and Loki. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the flashes of lightning strike the field and the green glow of Loki’s magic, but she was too preoccupied with slaughtering soldiers to focus on them. There were so many of them that Alice was beginning to feel overwhelmed. She was switching between drowning the soldiers and burning them. She knew she had more energy available to her because of her suit, but she felt herself losing her endurance. She had put so much energy into fighting these past few hours that it was all catching up to her.

After just barely taking out the group of soldiers around her, Alice looked around the battlefield. Out of the corner of her eye, Alice could see Evig gliding through the crowd like a ghost. A chill went through her spine as she watched him hold his sword out. He slashed through both Asgardians and even a few of his own soldiers. Alice followed his path and saw where he was heading.

Straight towards Loki.

Alice’s breath caught in her throat as she watched Evig start to charge towards Loki. He was being overpowered by soldiers so he had no idea what was coming. Alice didn’t even think twice. She ran with as much force as she could towards Loki. She had no idea what to do, but she knew she had to save him. Her head was pounding as she charged towards Evig. A soldier was throwing Loki’s daggers away from his hands as Evig came up behind him.

Her feet seemed to be dragging through mud. The seconds slowed down as she tried to get closer to Loki. Her life was flashing before her eyes as she tried to reach him in time. She couldn’t live without him. She would do anything for him. This was the test. This was where everything became real. Every moment spent wishing she was his. Every second their lips lingered together. Every time she tore down one of his walls. 

This was what mattered. Life or death. For Loki, she would choose death. He would do the same for her. He had done the same for her. He risked his life by saving her from the Organization. He risked his life by exposing the tesseract. He would do this for her. 

Loki was so close to her. Just a few more steps and her fate would be sealed. She loved him, she would always love him. She wished that he would forgive her for her recklessness. Alice could see the pink moons of Kilron reflecting on Evig’s sword. She let her eyes linger on Loki for as long as she could. She wanted to remember him. Raven black hair, milky smooth skin, long lithe fingers. Tall, broad, lonely, loving. Eyes the color of the ocean, because they weren’t really blue and they weren’t really green. Strong legs, strong arms. He was everything to her. This was what would prove that.

“No!” Alice screamed as she ran in front of Evig. Just then, Evig’s sword pierced through Alice’s body. She let out a wild scream as he drove the sword into her.

“You weren’t the one I wanted.” Evig growled. Alice blinked the tears out of her eyes as she felt him drive the sword deeper into her body. Alice panted as she wrapped her hands around his sword, trying to stop him from piercing her more. “Now you’re going to die.”

Alice could feel her life leaving her as she stared into Evig’s pure red eyes. She fluttered her eyes closed as she gripped the sword. Her mind fleeted back to when she had fought Loki so long ago. She melted his dagger in his hand. Alice let her eyes open as she tightened her grip on Evig’s sword. She had to give it a try.

“So will you.” The words barely left Alice’s lips as she let her hands go up in flames. She screamed as she poured all her life into the flames. Every ounce of pain she ever felt she let leak into her fire. Passion, love, lust, every emotion that went through her head was put into her flames. She thought of everyone she had ever met and everything she had ever done. She thought of Sullivan Carr and everything he had done to her. She thought of how she had destroyed that city so long ago, killing thousands of innocent people under the hands of the Organization. She thought of Tony and Thor, and how they had rescued her from herself. She thought of Loki and the way he first looked at her in his cell. She longed for everyone to be safe. She had the chance to make that happen. With all the power that Alice was shooting out, she felt her fire changing. They weren’t her typical red flames, but instead, they were bright blue. Alice could feel the heat from them lick her face as she tried to burn the metal. She felt the sword softening under her grip and she knew that her plan was working.

Evig tried to free his sword from Alice’s body, but she held on tight. Alice shut her eyes and suddenly, a fire burned from within her. Blue flames engulfed her as she melted his sword. Suddenly, Evig fell back. Alice looked down to see him holding half of the melted sword. She let her tears fall as the flames shot out from her and hit all of his soldiers on the field. 

“No! No!” Evig screamed as his skin began to crumble. Alice watched the life leave his eyes as he crumbled into dust. Alice could see all of his soldiers collapsing to the ground, their fate just the same as Evig’s. They died in a pile of ash, leaving the Asgardian soldiers in a state of confusion.

Loki looked around, trying to figure out what had happened. He turned around to see Alice a few feet away from him. Then, he noticed Evig’s sword through her stomach. 

“Alice!” Loki screamed as he ran toward her. Alice began to fall towards the ground, but Loki caught her. Tears stained her cheeks as her hands let the blue flames fall into ash. He sank to his knees as he propped her head up against his arm. “No, no, no! Alice! What the fuck did you do?”

“He tried to kill you. I couldn’t let that happen.” Alice tried to smile, but the energy in her body was leaving her faster than she wanted. Loki held her in his arms, rocking her back and forth. Tears were falling from his eyes as he watched her life fade away from her. There was nothing he could do except hold her, love her.

“No, Alice, no you can’t leave me! You promised!” Loki yelled. Alice mustered up all her energy to press a hand against Loki’s cheek. Her fingers brushed against the cold skin. Traces of sweat and tears lingered on her fingertips as she caressed him. Loki felt the ring brush against his skin, sending a new waves of tear pouring from his eyes.

“Save them. Take them home.” Alice felt her eyes fluttering closed but she willed herself to keep them open. She needed to look at Loki just a bit longer. He was an angel. She hoped that after all this time, he was beginning to realize that.

“No, baby, I’m not leaving you. I’m not letting you go. I’ve got you.” Loki cried as he held her tighter. Alice flashed him a gentle smile with all the energy she could muster. It was her last ditch effort at making sure he knew she was okay with this. She had saved him. 

“I love you.” She whispered. Her voice was weak as she professed it to him. Loki stared into her green eyes. They were faded and dark. “Thank you for everything.”

“Alice, I love you. I love you so much, please, don’t leave me.” Loki sobbed. His tears dripped onto Alice’s cheeks. Her hand slipped from his cheek and fell against her chest. Her head rolled to the side as she let her final breath leave her body. “NO!” Loki cried as he held her against him. He rocked her back and forth, willing this to not be true. 

“What…” Thor whispered as he watched Loki cradle Alice in his arms. Her blood stained the front of her suit, slowly leaking onto Loki’s own leather. He sunk to his knees, tears filling his eyes. “How did this happen?”

“She sacrificed herself for me.” Loki looked down at Alice’s body. A mixture of his tears and her tears stained her smooth cheeks. He ran his fingers over her cheeks, capturing the salty tears. “For us.”

Everyone began to gather around them. All of them watched Loki cry against her body. He kissed all over her face. He kissed her hair. He kissed her lips. He refused to let this be real.

A medic came forward, reaching towards Alice’s body. “Prince Loki, please. Allow us to take her body. We can prepare her for a burial.”

“No!” Loki yelled as he held her closer to his body. He buried his head in her hair and breathed in. Roses. She still smelled like roses. Loki pulled back and stared down at her face. Lifeless, sunken in.

“You are the bravest woman I know.” Loki whispered as he closed her eyelids. “Thank you, my rose.”

 

**

 

Because Kilron was a planet full of medics, they insisted that they wanted to repair Alice’s body before sending it back to Earth. Loki begrudgingly agreed, but only because he couldn’t stand to bury her with the evil scars of Evig’s sword.

Loki and Thor were standing in a viewing bay of one of the medical rooms watching over Alice’s body. The medics worked on her diligently. They wanted everything to be perfect for her.

“They want us to return to Midgard. Evig destroyed Asgard before he left the planet. The medics said they will transport her body back when they’re done.” Thor mumbled with his arms across his chest. Staring at his friend, he was destroyed. She had meant so much to him. He remembered when he had first found her in the forest. She was so scared and guarded. He remembered how he broke down those walls and became one of the first people she truly trusted. Thor wiped away more tears that threatened to escape his eyes. 

“If that’s what they feel is best then that’s fine.” Loki said with no emotion in his tone. Thor turned to him and looked at his brother. It had only been a few hours since Alice had died, and yet Loki wasn’t letting any of his tears fall anymore. He kept his head held high as he looked over her.

“You don’t need to be strong, brother.” Thor said softly. Loki glanced at him but soon returned his eyes back to Alice. He knew he wouldn’t be able to see her beautiful face for much longer. He wanted to take in as much of her as he could before he had to say goodbye.

“It’s what she would want.” Loki said in a monotone voice. Thor sighed and walked forward. He wrapped his arms around Loki and rested his head on his shoulder.

“I know how much you loved her, brother. I know what she meant to you.” Thor whispered. “I knew from the moment I brought her down into your cell, it was meant to be. You loved her more than any man has ever loved before. And she loved you. Brother, she loved you more deeply than I could begin to describe. You meant the world to her, and that’s why she did what she did. She would always put you first.”

Loki broke down at his brother’s words. Loki felt the hot tears stream down his face as he looked at Alice’s body. He couldn’t begin to describe how he felt as he watched the medics patch her up. It didn’t feel real. He didn’t want to believe that the woman he loved was dead. It didn’t feel right to think about that. He had promised her forever. He promised to marry her. And yet, here he was, planning her funeral.

“My princes.” Loki and Thor turned with their tears still in their eyes to see Sif. Her own eyes were puffy and red. “It is time to leave for Midgard.”

“I can’t leave her.” Loki stepped forward and touched the glass. “I can’t leave her.” He repeated. Sif took a step forward and placed her hand on Loki’s shoulder.

“You must guide our people home.” Sif paused. “I will stay with her. I will make sure her body returns home.” 

Loki turned to Sif and took her into his arms. He just held her and remembered the way that Alice used to feel in his arms. He sighed and nodded. “Make sure she gets there safely.”

“I swear it on my life.” Sif nodded as she took a step back. She bowed before Thor and Loki. “I will not let you down.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that happened. I'm so sorry. Let me know what you guys think is going to happen next!
> 
> P.S. it's finals week at my university so I may or may not upload on Wednesday. I'll do my best to give you guys a chapter!


	43. Welcoming Valhalla

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow guys all the comments on the last chapter had me really tearing up. I felt so bad! Well...I'm about to feel even worse after this. Soooo, on that note, enjoy! Comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated, and of course thank you for reading!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 5149

Thor had never seen Loki so destroyed. He had seen him angry and he had seen him upset. He even saw him pretty broken when Frigga and Odin died. However, now it was different. He had lost the love of his life and he was positive Loki would never be okay again.

It had only been two days but Loki had not stopped having break downs. He would be fine for a few minutes. His face would go rock hard and he would shut out all emotion. He was the personification of coldhearted and ruthless in those moments. Thor could swear this was precisely how he looked so long ago standing on top of the old Stark Tower as he opened up a wormhole into space.

But then, he would just collapse into a fit of tears again. Thor knew Loki was blaming himself for what happened. Even though Thor knew that wasn’t the case, he would never be able to convince his brother otherwise. When Loki was dealing with his army of emotions, he let no one near him. He would shut himself away, destroying everything in his path that dared to compete with his anger. Thor wasn’t sure which side of Loki he was more afraid of: the one with too much emotion or the one with none at all.

Thor couldn’t deny that he had been missing her, too. Alice was easily one of his best friends and he had formed a special connection with her, especially after spending so much time on Asgard with her. Thor found himself wondering what could he have done differently to save her. Maybe nothing could have been done differently. Maybe everything could have been done differently.

Contacting the Avengers wasn’t fun. Thor had been the one to do it since Loki was such a mess. They deserved to know. Thor had to be strong for his brother and his people. This was his job as king. With each and every call made, Thor found himself losing his composition with every call from his ship. They were short and they didn’t last long, but he could tell how badly the news had affected everyone. 

So, needless to say, Thor was tired. He was angry. He was mourning. He didn’t know how to be king and he didn’t want to be king. He had to be strong for everyone even when he felt his own strength deteriorating. He, too, had lost everything in these past few days. His mother, his father, Heimdall, and Alice. They were all gone. Many of his people had died at Evig’s hand. 

Thor had just finished perusing the ship when he returned back to his and Loki’s chambers. His legs were heavy and his head was hanging. Thor needed some peace but he knew he wouldn’t get that until everyone was back on Midgard and they were all settled. He saw Loki curled up in the corner of the room with his eyes shut. His head was leaning against the wall as he took deep breaths in and out. Thor could tell he was recovering from another break down.

Thor sat down beside his brother and placed a hand on his shoulder. Loki’s eyes opened slowly as he turned to look at Thor. He offered him a fake smile before leaning his head back on the wall.

“How is everyone?” Loki whispered. Thor shrugged and let his hand fall back into his lap. He stared at the blank wall in front of him.

“Struggling, honestly.” Thor sighed. “They’re scared. They just want to find a place to call home.”

“Yeah, I understand that.” Loki looked down at his hands folded in his lap. “I’m not so sure I want to go back to Midgard, though. I fear Stark’s wrath.” Loki said half-truthfully. It wasn’t a lie when he said he feared what Stark would do to him. Stark made him promise that he wouldn’t hurt Alice, and yet he had let her die. So, yes, it was half-truthful. But Loki didn’t want to return to Midgard because he knew it would remind him too much of Alice. There wouldn’t a single place they went that wouldn’t remind him of her in some way and he wasn’t sure how he would be able to stomach that.

“I do, too.” Thor chuckled. Loki smiled faintly, but the expression was gone almost as quick as it came.

“How did he react?” Loki asked softly. He could feel the tears swelling in his eyes again. Thor reached over and rested a hand on Loki’s thigh.

“He was angry but then he started crying. He hung up before I could say much else.” Thor admitted. Loki sighed and ran a hand through his knotted hair.

“I miss her so much.” Loki let his tears fall again. He was surprised he even had enough tears left in him to cry. He wanted so much more time with her. He was hoping eventually Odin would even allow her to have the lifespan that Loki did. He wanted to hold her, kiss her, make love to her. He needed her more than anything.

“So do I, brother.” Thor wiped his own eyes before shaking his head. “I think we need some drinks.”

“I agree.” Loki stifled out a laugh as he wiped his own tears. He needed something strong enough to take all his pain away. He wanted to drown his sorrows and he didn’t care how many bottles of booze that had to take.

Thor got up from his sitting position to make his way over to the drink cart by the window. As he started pouring his drink, he noticed a large ship slowly flying towards them. He squinted at the menacing looking ship, forgetting about the alcohol in his hand.

“Brother? Do you know that vessel?” Thor asked. Loki groaned and turned around. He just wanted his drink. Yet, when he eyes peered out the window to see the giant ship floating closer, his eyes widened and fear struck his heart.

“Get everyone off the ship.” Loki demanded. “Now!”

“Loki, what are you talking about?” Thor asked, suddenly worried because of his brother’s reaction. Loki stood quickly and made his way to the window. 

“That is not a friendly passerby. Everyone must get off this ship now!” Loki yelled as he smashed his fist against the window. “I need to contact someone.”

“Who?” Thor asked as he began to head out the door. Loki turned with a grimace.

“Doctor Stephen Strange.” Loki said grimly. Thor shook his head. They promised to contact him when the need was truly desperate. Clearly, Loki knew that whoever was driving that ship wasn’t a threat to be taken lightly. 

“Brother…” Thor trailed off. He wasn’t sure what to say. Was there anything to say?

Loki groaned impatiently. “Thor, that is the man who forced me to take over Midgard. It’s him. That’s his ship and he’s coming for us. We need to get everyone off before…”

Loki was interrupted by a blast hitting part of their ship. He didn’t have any time to finish. Him and Thor rushed out of the room. There was no time to waste.

 

**

 

When the medics told Sif that Alice’s body was ready to go back to Midgard, she suddenly felt sick. She had avoided looking at Alice since she had passed away. That was her friend lying on that hospital bed. The thought that she had failed yet another person was driving Sif mad.

The room was quiet as Sif walked through the sliding doors. A medic was leaning over Alice’s body, combing out her hair as best she could. Sif watched silently. A certain disbelief set over her as she finally faced the sight of her friend. 

The medic looked up after a final swipe of her comb. She smiled as she placed the comb down on a nearby tray. She hobbled over to Sif and took her strong hands in her weak, old ones.

“I will let you say goodbye to her. I will be back shortly.” The medic patted Sif’s hands before waddling out of the room. Sif sighed as the door closed behind her. She slowly walked towards the table that Alice was laying on. She looked so beautiful and peaceful.

“You would have made a brilliant queen.” Sif said quietly. Her eyes were shut and her cheeks were rosy from the blush they had put on her. Her hair fell gently over her shoulders. Sif already knew that white roses would look beautiful in her hair as they buried her. Her suit was tucked neatly back into her wristband and she was wearing the green dress Sif had given to her for Alice’s first feast. The memory of that night brought a smile to Sif’s shaking lips.

Alice’s hands were folded neatly over her stomach. Maybe it was an attempt to make her look peaceful, maybe it was an attempt to cover up the scar across her stomach. Either way, Sif didn’t want to think too deeply about it. Sif ran her fingers down Alice’s arms. Her skin was cold under her touch. As Sif was about to lift her hand from Alice’s arm, she noticed the ring on Alice’s finger.

Sif scrunched her eyebrows as she leaned in and examined the ring. She had read about these diamonds before. It was a tradition on Midgard for partners to exchange them as a vow of their future marriage. Sif’s eyes widened at the realization. Were Alice and Loki engaged? Why did no one know?

Sif looked up at Alice’s face and noticed the shine of a golden chain under her hair. Sif pushed some of Alice’s hair aside and noticed her necklace sitting on her chest. She looked closely at the locket dangling from the chain. That’s when she realized that they truly were meant to marry. Sif remembered Frigga giving Loki and Thor those necklaces when they were young. She intended for her sons to give them to the person they wanted to marry. 

Everything came crashing down on Sif suddenly. In the ways of Asgard, once someone was engaged to one of the princes, they were officially…royal.

Alice was royal! Sif’s mind was spinning as she processed everything. She thought back to when Alice died. It had only been two days. Sif shut her eyes, knowing that it was her job to protect the royal family, and now that she knew Alice was a royal, it was her duty to protect her too. She knew Asgard would be stronger if Loki had Alice by his side. She grounded him and kept him sane. Without her, he would be broken. He already was broken. 

Sif opened her eyes and placed her hands over Alice’s. Sif had let Frigga die without her being there, and she had watched Alice sacrifice herself for Asgard. It was time Sif repaid them both.

“Allfathers, give me strength to perform this spell.” Sif muttered as she stared at Alice’s face. She needed this to work. “Exchange my life for the life of Asgard. Let my sacrifice be noble and live to serve the people. This is my time to be freed from my skin and give life to the soul in this body.”

As Sif uttered the final words of the spell, she felt herself getting dizzy. She knew this was what happened but she wasn’t afraid. She kept her hands on Alice’s as she felt the girl’s skin warm underneath her touch. It was working. Sif shut her eyes as she stood for as long as she could. Slowly, Sif dropped to the ground. She let her final breath escape her body, peaceful and proud that she was able to serve Asgard one last time.

Alice’s eyes shot open. She gasped as she looked around the room. She had no idea where she was. The last thing she remembered was looking into Loki’s eyes as she felt the life drain from her. She knew Evig was gone, but what had happened to her? How did she survive?

Alice swung her legs over the bed but screamed before she stepped down. Sif was lying on the ground. Alice jumped down and felt for a pulse but found nothing. 

“Help! Somebody help!” Alice yelled. She had no idea what was happening. Tears were stinging her eyes as she ran her hands over Sif’s neck and wrists. The doors to the room slid open and an elderly woman entered. She gasped at the sight before her.

“You were dead.” The woman said in disbelief. Alice looked up at the woman. Alice moved her hands to her stomach and felt the raised skin from her scar.

“How is this possible?” Alice looked back down at Sif’s body. 

“I don’t know, princess.” The woman said as she leaned over Sif’s body. ‘Princess’. Alice felt the realization wash over her in a cold sensation. Loki had told her that by accepting his ring, she would be a true princess. Sif must have figured it out. She used the warrior’s spell on her to bring her back to life. Alice looked back down at Sif and held her hands tightly.

“She traded her life for mine. Sif, you are a hero.” Alice nodded. She looked to the medic with confusion and fear. “What am I to do?”

“You were intended to return to Earth. The ship for your departure is all ready for you.” The woman said. “She was meant to bring you home safely.”

Alice felt something tingle under her fingertips. She snapped her head down to look at Sif. Her body was glowing a bright, shimmering gold. Alice lifted her hands as she watched Sif’s body turn into golden sparkles that floated into the air. She watched the golden flecks climb towards the ceiling before disappearing. Alice smiled as stray tears ran down her face.

“Valhalla is lucky to have you.” Alice wiped her tears. She knew Sif wouldn’t have wanted people to be sad for her sacrifice. She wanted to be remembered with happiness and pride. Alice turned to the medic with her heart racing. “Well?”

“I believe it’s time for you to go home, princess.” 

 

**

 

Loki didn’t want to be scared, but he was. Quite frankly, he was terrified.

Their attempt to run had failed. The mad titan had trapped them. He set half the ship free, spewing some shit about universal balance. Loki had heard it all before. 

He was standing over the bodies of his dead people. He couldn’t look down at them. He knew this was his fault. Loki watched Thanos peruse through the corpses as if it was nothing. This all felt too familiar and Loki hated it. He felt sick to his stomach. 

Thanos had retrieved the first stone. Loki thought it was safe on Xandar. What could have happened? Their armies were strong; their leaders were stronger. Had they fallen so easily? What had Thanos done to them? There were too many questions and Loki wasn’t sure he had the strength to handle the answers. 

Thanos leaned over from where he was standing. He was bigger than Loki remembered, more powerful. Loki kept his eyes on the giant titan, worried that if he looked away, one of his dirty henchmen might attack. Thanos smirked and reached down, slowly dragging Thor up from the ground.

“You talk too much.” Thor groaned as Thanos gripped him. Loki rolled his eyes. He wasn’t even listening to what Thanos was saying. 

“So, Loki. We meet again.” Thanos grinned. Loki stared at him with pure hatred in his eyes. He hated this man and everything he stood for. He had abused Loki for what felt like centuries and was hell-bent on murdering half the universe. Mad, truly and utterly mad. “I assume you know why we’re here.”

“Oh yes, you missed me. Upset I haven’t been returning your calls.” Loki grinned politely. He knew he was playing a dangerous game here but he was trying to make sure the escaped Asgardians had enough time to get far enough away. Thor chuckled from underneath Thanos’ grip.

“So you’re in a jesting mood?” Thanos tilted his head. Loki shrugged as he rolled back and forth on his feet.

“Seems so.” Loki turned around towards Ebony Maw who was standing creepily behind him “Though, I must say, I was disappointed I didn’t see you on Asgard.”

“I was there. Just searching for what is ours.” Ebony Maw said in his scratchy voice. It sent chills down Loki’s spine even after so long. “And what did I find? Not a thing.”

“That seems to be your problem, not mine.” Loki smirked while trying to mask his fear. He heard Thor groan and his eyes flickered down to his brother. 

“Hand over the tesseract, Loki.” Thanos growled as he squeezed Thor harder. The purple stone stuck in his gauntlet glowed a bit brighter as Loki watched his brother shake in pain. That’s when he realized he had no other choice. Thanos was going to kill Thor if he didn’t hand over the tesseract. Then, it boiled down to Loki’s life. Thanos was going to kill Loki whether or not he handed over the tesseract. He had failed him too greatly in the past and that was unforgiveable. Thanos was going to get the stone either way. If Loki was dead, no one could protect it. Loki glanced at Thor’s sweaty face and realized there was only one option. He wasn’t King, Thor was. Thor was the only one who could protect their people. He had lost his parents. He lost his beautiful Alice. 

The thought of her had him shaking. What else was left to live for? He knew Thor could defeat Thanos. Loki, on the other hand, he was so broken beyond belief. He lost the only person who was keeping him held together. Alice was the only reason he was outside of Stark’s cell. He had no purpose to fulfill except to motivate his brother to kill this titan.

“We don’t have the tesseract. It was destroyed on Asgard.” Thor said as a few drops of blood leaked from his lips. Loki shut his eyes. Thanos knew he had it. He had been tracing these stones down for a lifetime. Ebony Maw had traveled to Asgard for the stone, and when he had found both it and Loki missing, he knew there was only one place that it could be. 

Loki sighed and raised his hand out in front of him. He willed the tesseract to show itself in his palm like he had so long ago in Stark’s lab. Thor groaned at the sight of the glowing blue cube. Loki could feel everyone’s eyes landing on him. Loki opened his eyes to view the cube tingling his palm. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the silvery blonde hair of Fandral. Fandral opened his eyes and pointed at Thanos. He lifted his sword and placed his index finger over his lips as if to tell Loki not to give him away. Loki could see Volstagg and Hogun creeping behind the layered bodies as well. Loki knew they could never kill Thanos, it was suicide on their parts. But he did know that they could distract the titan long enough for Loki to get Thor out of here. A few moments was all he needed.

Loki walked towards Thanos but he kept his eyes on Thor. He could see the pain in Thor’s eyes as he realized that Loki had yet again chased after the forbidden cube. He had hidden it deep in Odin’s vault, deeper than any relic, and yet Loki knew exactly where to find it. 

“I trusted you.” Thor whispered as Thanos moved his grip down to his neck. Loki shuddered as his heart began to break again. This would always be their cycle, wouldn’t it? Trust, distrust, trust, distrust. Loki knew the tone they were about to end on.

“I assure you, brother, the sun will shine on us again.” Loki said as he looked into Thor’s eyes. He needed him to understand that there was a purpose behind this.

“Your optimism is misplaced, Asgardian.” Thanos smirked at Loki’s words. Of course, Thanos knew what was coming. He wouldn’t let Loki get away with his misdoings and faults that easily.

“Well for one thing, I’m not Asgardian.” Loki placed the tesseract closer to his body while he stared the titan down. Thanos tilted his head at Loki’s comment and snarled. “And for another, you’ve yet to have taken down the strongest warriors of Asgard.” 

At Loki’s words, the Warriors Three jumped ahead and began slashing at Thanos with their swords. The members of the Black Order were ready to jump in until Ebony Maw silenced their requests. He knew their swords were futile. 

Loki tossed the tesseract away from his body and pushed Thor to the side. He couldn’t use the tesseract to transport Thor away from here, that would be too noticeable and then they would be on Thor’s tail. Thor needed to live. Among all the madness, Loki tried to shield Thor from everything that was happening.

“What the fuck, Loki?” Thor hissed as he rubbed his head. 

“You must get out of here.” Loki demanded. “Go! Before it’s too late!”

“I’m not going anywhere without you, brother. We can fight him together.” Thor grabbed Loki’s arms. Loki shook his head and stared down at Thor. He pursed his lips and let the tears of anger and fear sting at the corners of his eyes.

“No, brother. This is it.” Loki whispered. He could hear the Warriors Three faltering behind them and he knew there was not much time left. “He’s going to kill me. I’ve failed him and he won’t forgive me for that. You must go to Midgard. You must get out of here. He’s going back there. You need to stop him.” Loki paused, licking his lips as his eyelids fluttered closed. “It’s okay, Thor. I have nothing left to live for now that Alice is gone.”

“Loki…” Thor trailed off as he looked into his brother’s tear filled eyes. A loud crunch was heard from behind the brothers. They looked behind them and saw Thanos pressing the power stone into the chests of the Warriors Three, causing each of them to writhe in pain and eventually collapse. Thor growled and clambered to his feet. 

“Thor! Stop!” Loki hissed through his teeth as Thor grabbed a broken pipe beside him and ran towards Thanos. Thor slammed the pipe into Thanos’ neck, only to earn an annoyed scowl from the purple beast. Ebony Maw lifted a hand and summoned scraps of metal to wrap around Thor’s body, keeping him sealed to the ship. 

Loki stared at everything before him. There was only one way he would make sure Thor got out of here alive. Loki shut his eyes and whispered a spell under his breath. As Ebony Maw kneeled before Thanos, handing him the tesseract, everyone kept their eyes on Thanos. A small green wave washed over Thor at Loki’s words. He knew Thanos wouldn’t let Thor float away in a ship safe to wherever he wanted. No, that would never happen. So, Loki made sure to cast a spell over Thor’s body so that he would be able to survive the harshness of space.

Loki lifted himself off the ground and licked his dry lips. Somehow, he found peace in what was about to happen. He would find a way to be with Alice again. He could already imagine how she would look standing at the gates of Valhalla for him. White dress billowing around her. A golden wreath of vines and roses wrapped around her head. Her hand stretched out to him, welcoming him with a promise of their souls intertwined forever. It seemed so sweet, so peaceful.

“If I might interject,” Loki sauntered back into the center of the group, glancing at Thor on his way. “If you’re going to Earth, you might want a guide. I do have a bit of experience in that arena.”

“If you consider failure experience.” Thanos grinned as he wiggled his fingers in his mighty gauntlet. Loki stared at the shining blue stone glowing in his fist. He knew that he needed to get Thor out of here fast.

“I consider experience, experience.” Loki scowled. As he stared at the titan, he noticed his weakest spot unprotected. The base of his neck was the softest part of his skin. He learned that during his time being abused on Thanos’ ship. He saw a chance to try and end this. It was slim, it was risky, but maybe it could happen. He just needed to get close enough. “Almighty Thanos, I, Loki, prince of Asgard, Odinson,” Loki paused, looking over at Thor. He could see the pain in Thor’s eyes as he sealed his fate. “the rightful king of Jotunheim, god of mischief, do hereby pledge to you my undying fidelity.”

Loki bowed as he let his dagger form in his hand. He knew Thor saw what he was doing based on the increase of his breathing. Loki took a deep breath, and preparing for to see of Alice waiting to greet him at the golden gates above them. Loki quickly thrust his arm forward, reading to stab Thanos in his neck, but was stopped by the power of the tesseract’s hidden stone.

“Undying? You should choose your words more wisely.” Thanos grinned as he pushed Loki’s hand away from his neck. Without any effort, he reached forward and picked Loki up, tightening his hold around his neck. Loki gripped at Thanos’ hands, struggling to breathe. He could hear Thor sobbing in the background. Thor pushed against his restraints, but Ebony Maw tightened his fist to make sure the metal tightened around him.

“You…will never be…a god.” Loki whispered as his breath left him. 

He shut his eyes, and welcomed the bright light of Valhalla coming into sight.

 

**

 

“We’re entering the atmosphere, princess!” Alice heard the pilot call to her as she stared at the window. She could see the bright lure of Earth below her. It had felt like so long since she had looked upon its ocean’s and rolling green hills. She smiled down at the planet as she scrambled to head for the transport bay.

“Any word from the princes?” Alice asked. The pilot shook his head as he pressed some buttons on his control panel.

“Their ship isn’t answering calls. Probably means they’re already here.” He smiled at her warmly. Alice nodded with excitement as she bounced on her heels. After so long, she would be returning home. She could see all her friends again. She could live with Loki without any restraints. Things were falling into place again. “Ready to drop down?”

“Ready! Where are you depositing me?” Alice said as she fiddled with her engagement ring. She couldn’t wait to see the looks on Thor and Loki’s faces when they saw her. Oh, Loki. She couldn’t wait to kiss him again. They would finally have their happily ever after.

“There’s an open space near where you used to live. It’s coming up as Central Park on my coordinate map here.” The pilot called out as he watched the radar on his control panel. He turned around and flashed Alice another kind smile. “I’ll start the countdown now, princess.”

“Thank you.” Alice grinned as she hopped onto the transport cell. She watched the glass tube circle around her, preparing her body to be transported back down to Earth.

“Dropping down in 5…4…3…2…” Alice couldn’t hear his final number as a pink haze circled around her. She felt her feet lift off the floor as her skin tingled from the energy encompassing her. 

Suddenly, everything went white. Alice felt like she was soaring in circles, but she couldn’t see anything. Moments later, Alice felt her feet touch something soft below her. Her vision was coming back to her, giving her the sight of green grass and blue sky.

Alice blinked a few times to try and clear her vision. She could see people around her whispering and pointing at her. She glanced around everyone as they gaped at her. Of course they would, she just appeared in a flash of pink light. Alice turned around watching move people gather around her. She waved slightly as people began to clap. Whispers of “it’s the Phoenix!” and “she’s back!” circled in the air. Alice felt her heart swell at the words of the people.

“Excuse me, pardon me.” Alice heard a too familiar voice say from the edge of the crowd. “Get away from the alien!” The crowd dispersed, attempting to go back to their routine, only to reveal Tony. His eyes widened as he saw Alice. “A-Alice?”

“Tony!” Alice said with excitement. She ran towards them and developed Tony in her arms. She pressed his face to his chest and began to cry. “Oh, Tony!” Tony ran his arms up and down Alice’s back as if he was trying to convince himself that she was really there.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Tony whispered. He couldn’t believe his eyes. He made Alice looked up at him and even she could see the confusion in his eyes. “You’re…I thought you were…”

“No, I’m alive! Sif sacrificed herself for me and brought me back to life.” Alice smiled. Tony lifted an eyebrow.

“Who the hell is Sif? Never mind, I can’t believe you’re alive.” Tony was still shocked. Alice was here. He was touching her, looking at her. She wasn’t just a dream. 

“Me either.” Alice blushed as she pushed her hair behind her ear. “Well, where’s Loki? Him and Thor were supposed to be coming here.” Alice glanced around as if the brothers would appear from behind one of the trees. Tony raised an eyebrow and shook his head.

“No, they’re not here.” Tony said. Alice scrunched her eyebrows together and parted her lips.

“But we couldn’t get hold of their ship. Doesn’t that mean they landed?” Alice asked. Tony scratched his chin, running his nails over his thinning out beard as his mind automatically went to the worst. He was about to answer Alice’s question when a swirl of energy appeared beside them.

An orange circle of sparks opened to their left. A man in a ridiculous red cape and blue robes stepped out of the circle. His face was serious. Alice gripped onto Tony. She had seen enough of crazy beings for one day. The man looked between the two heroes and his frown deepened.

“Tony Stark,” the man began. “My name is Doctor Stephen Strange, and I need you to come with me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you remember a few chapters ago, Sif mentioned to Alice a spell that could resurrect a royal, and now that Alice is technically a royal, the spell applied to her. So, now Alice is alive, yay! And she's back on Earth so we get to see our dear Avengers again! But...Loki? 
> 
> CUE INFINITY WAR!
> 
> Alice is about to find herself wrapped up in so much war and mystery that it's going to affect her in a way we haven't seen before. What do you guys think is going to happen?


	44. Return to the Tower

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! This is a bit of a set up chapter, but it helps everyone prepare for some events that are about to come so bear with it please! Anyway, I hope you all enjoy! Comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated, thank you for reading!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 4208

“I’m sorry, who are you?” Tony asked the scowling man, Stephen. He sighed and looked at Alice. Stephen looked her up and down before returning his eyes to Tony. Something mischievous sparkled in them.

“I just told you. I’m Doctor Stephen Strange, and I need you to come with me.” Stephen repeated as if it was a chore. Alice took a step forward and watched his eyes follow her. He sent chills down her spine. There was something other-worldly about him, as if existing in New York wasn’t where he belonged. “Both of you. Oh, and congratulations on the engagement, of course.”

“What engagement?” Tony looked down at Alice. For the first time, he noticed the shimmering diamond that rested on her fourth finger. Tony’s face transformed from white to pink to red all in one short moment. “You got hitched?”

“Loki did indeed propose.” Alice blushed. A pit formed in her stomach at the thought of him. She hated not knowing where he was or if he was okay. All she wanted was to find him. Alice looked back at Stephen with a quizzical glance, though she felt Tony’s eyes still on her. “Why do we need to come with you?” Alice raised an eyebrow. She had just gotten home. Was she legally not allowed to have five minutes of peace before being thrown back into more conflict?

“It’s not a stretch to say that the fate of the universe is at risk.” Stephen kept his eyes trained on Alice. “So, please. You must listen to us.”

“Us?” Tony stepped forward, keeping a protective arm around Alice. Stephen sighed and circled his hands. A small orange circle appeared floating in the air as a picture appeared in the center. It was dark and barely clear, but Alice could recognize the ocean eyes of Loki anywhere.

“Doctor Stephen Strange, this is the Asgardian refugee vessel, controlled by Thor and I, Loki. We are under assault by the mad titan, Thanos. He is coming in search for the stones. Protect the stones. Contact Tony Stark. He is the only one who can help you. Keep Earth safe. We may not make it back.” Loki’s recording said. The image cut out, letting the orange sparks fall softly to the ground. 

“Loki.” Alice whispered. Her fingers immediately reached towards the necklace around her neck as if it would help her find him. She turned to Tony with wide eyes. “Loki and Thor are in trouble! We need to listen to them.”

“Alice…” 

“We can’t ignore this!” Alice practically shouted. Tony glanced up at Stephen with an eye roll and gestured to the portal that he had come through.

“Lead the way, Doc.”

 

**

 

Alice’s head was spinning as everyone talked about the infinity stones. She knew she should be paying attention but this was too overwhelming. All she could think about was Loki and Thor in trouble. God, they didn’t even know she was alive. Alice chewed on her lip. She could taste the blood from how hard she was biting but she didn’t care. Her whole body felt numb.

In the middle of Tony and Stephen arguing about what to do, Alice couldn’t hold back any longer. She shot up from the couch she was sitting on and paced across the room.

“Thanos was the one who sent Loki.” She wrung her hands together. Tony and Stephen both looked at her with fierceness.

“What?” Stephen asked. Alice sighed and covered her face with her hands.

“New York. The invasion. That was all Thanos. He was controlling Loki. He told me this when we were on Kilron.” Alice cried. “He said Thanos was coming for him and now he found him.”

“Alice, Thor and Loki are the strongest guys we know. They’ll be okay.” Tony came closer to Alice but she shot him a deathly glare. 

“Do you really think Loki would send a distress call if he thought they could handle the situation?” Alice growled. She paced around the room a bit more while shaking her hands out. “One of those stones is here, so we already know where it is. One of these stones is in Vision’s forehead. We can at least protect that one, too!”

“Yeah…” Tony drawled off. Alice looked at him, not ready to play any games that involved dancing around the topic at hand.

“What do you mean ‘yeah’?” Alice copied the way Tony had uttered the word. Tony sighed and ran a hand over his face.

“Vision turned off his transponder a few weeks ago. I can’t find him.” Tony grumbled. Alice rolled her eyes as she sat back down on the couch. Part of her wanted the couch to swallow her and send her to a different place. This was all happening too fast.

“Is there anyone who can find Vision?” Stephen asked as his companion Wong nervously shuffled around him. Tony groaned as he stared at the blank wall in front of him. In the shades of the deep colored wallpaper, Tony could almost see the face of the man he avoided for so long.

“Steve Rogers.” Alice snapped her head up at Steve’s name. Steve! Of course he could find Vision. Alice stood up and ran over to Tony. 

“Amazing! Okay, so where’s Steve?” Alice asked with hopefulness. Tony glanced down at her and shrugged.

“I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to him in…in a while.” Tony said sadly. Alice tilted her head as she stepped closer to him again. “God, you really haven’t been here in a while. The Avengers broke up. Steve and I had a big falling out. We’re not on speaking terms.”

“Tony, Thor and Loki could be gone. Thanos is coming.” Alice whispered. She could feel Stephen and Wong’s eyes on her. “We need to reach out to Steve. You heard the wizard, the fate of the universe is at stake.” 

Tony groaned and reached deep into his pocket. He walked to the far side of the room as he pulled out the old flip phone that Steve had given him. He pursed his lips as he opened the phone to see the only number programmed into the cell. As Tony was about to hit “start call”, he felt the floor shaking beneath him. He turned around to see a gentle breeze flowing through everyone’s hair. Tony peered up at the window that hung over the room and saw debris scattering through the air.

“Alice? Any chance you’re conjuring up some tornado out there?” He looked over at Alice. She shook her head as she watched the debris zip past the window.

“Not this time.” She mumbled. Immediately, everyone knew what to do. They ran outside, swerving their way through people trying to avoid the stampede and the swirling bits of New York City trying to hit them. The air was dusty and Alice could barely see anything. She looked over to see Stephen maneuvering his hands in a wild dance, then shooting them up towards the sky. Immediately, the dust hanging in the air flew back into the sky, clearing the air around them.

“Neat trick.” Tony mumbled as the group gathered together. In the distance, Alice could see two figures standing in the middle of the street. One was tall and bulky, and the other was lithe and lean. As they walked closer, Alice immediately knew that the lean being was Ebony Maw. From the way Loki described him, this man fit the bill perfectly.

“Hear me and rejoice! You are about to die at the hands of the children of Thanos.” Ebony Maw began as he tapped his fingertips together. The large being next to him grumbled in agreement. “Be thankful that your meaningless lives are now contributing…”

“I’m sorry, Earth is closed today!” Tony yelled. Despite the impending situation, Alice couldn’t help but hold back a chuckle. Ebony Maw glared in her direction. “You better pack it up and get out of here.”

“Stone-keeper, does this chattering animal speak for you?” Ebony Maw focused on Stephen. The Doctor laughed as he summoned a spell with his hands. A glowing orange appeared in front of him, and Alice was in awe to say the least.

“Certainly not. I speak for myself.” Stephen pushed the orange floating disks further towards Ebony Maw. “You are trespassing on this city and on this planet.”

“It means get lost Squidward!” Tony smirked. Alice couldn’t help but chuckle again. Oh, how she missed this man. Ebony Maw rolled his narrowed eyes and turned his focus to his companion.

“He exhausts me. Bring me the stone.” He said in his chilling voice. The beast grinned and began to run forward. Alice took a step back, not sure how she was going to handle this. Luckily, Tony seemed to have an idea. He took a few steps forward while pressing his arc reactor, causing his Iron Man suit to cover his body completely. As the beast ran to hit him, Tony put up his defenses and shot him backwards with several powerful blasts.

“Where the hell did that come from? How much did I miss?” Alice gasped in surprise. It was nothing like she had ever seen before. Tony turned to her and Alice could sense the smirk hiding behind his mask.

“It’s nanotech, you like it, kid?” Tony laughed. Before Alice had the chance to answer, Ebony Maw forced the ground underneath Tony to shoot up, sending Tony flying over the buildings beside them. Alice glared at the evil man and shook her head.

“Not on my watch.” She growled. Alice hit the code into her bracelet and allowed her suit to take her over. Without any hesitation, she raw towards Ebony Maw. He stayed completely still as she charged towards him. Alice jumped up and landed with her fists on the ground, causing the earth below Ebony Maw to open and swallow him in. Alice watched the ground seal up and she stepped back with a raised eyebrow.

“That was easy.” Wong said from behind her. Yet, Alice felt the ground shake below her as Ebony Maw shot back up and willed the metal poles and bricks of the buildings to surround Alice in a sturdy case.

“Well, fuck you, too!” She yelled. Ebony Maw glared at her and sent a hoard of bricks to cover her face, leaving her completely defenseless. 

Alice struggled against the confines. They were too tight around her arms that nothing she did would work. She could hear the fighting going on outside her chamber of bricks and she wasn’t sure who was winning. Every now and then she heard a growl of anger or a literal “whoosh” of magic. 

Alice felt her chest tightening at the closed space. She shut her eyes tightly, wondering how long she had really been trapped. She couldn’t last like this forever. She wouldn’t stay buried until this pile forever. Alice squeezed her eyes tightly and let herself focus. She could get out of this. She knew it. Alice screamed as she sent the earth below her firing upwards, causing the brick around her to fly into the air. As quickly as she could, she stood up and started running. She saw Ebony Maw floating away in the distance with Stephen in tow. A flash of red and blue streaked past her, and Alice immediately recognized who it was.

“Peter!” Alice screamed as Peter grabbed onto Stephen. 

“Alice? Is that really you?” Peter looked over her way, losing his concentration. A beam shot up from above him and began to suck him and Stephen upwards into a strange looked ship. 

Alice lifted her hands and tried to push them back to the ground with the strength of the wind, but it was no use. The ship was too strong and sent them flying up into the sky. Alice began to panic, she had no idea what to do. Just then, she saw Tony shooting up to the sky chasing after the retreating ship. Alice covered her mouth with her hand and watched him disappear from sight.

“Tony!” Alice called out. “Don’t go.” She whispered against her hand. How could this have happened? Alice sunk to her knees, not caring about the jolt of pain that surged through her legs upon the contact. Alice let herself cry into her hands. She felt like she failed yet again. 

“Miss?” Wong said as he came up behind her. She turned her head to see him giving her a pitied and worried look. He stretched his hand out, revealing the cell phone that Steve had given to Tony. “I made the call. Maybe you should go to Stark Tower.”

 

**

 

Stark Tower was dark and cold. It felt like no one had been here for years. Maybe no one had. Alice was gone a long time. She trudged her way through the doors, still clad in her dirtied suit, wishing that this was all just some wild dream.

She didn’t know exactly where to go in the tower. It was too big to just guess. She called out for someone, but nobody answered. Maybe she was truly alone. Alice wandered the halls and figured the only place she felt safe was in her room. Upon entering the room, Alice felt her heart sink. It was exactly like she had left it. She wandered across the room and ran her hands over the bed. She crouched down and took a whiff of the pillow – Loki’s pillow, and found tears streaming down her cheeks when she noticed it still smelled faintly like him.

She took the pillow into her arms and held it tightly. She rocked back and forth, keeping her face pressed into it. Nothing felt real and nothing felt right. Loki wasn’t here, Tony wasn’t here. She felt like she was all by herself on this planet. Alice’s tears didn’t seem to stop as she continued to take in Loki’s scent. Pine and winter. It was comforting but it made her feel sick.

‘We may not make it back’. Loki’s words from his message to Stephen sent aches through her bones. She hated the feeling of not knowing. Was he out there, sailing towards Earth safely? Was he hurt? Was he dead? She didn’t want to think about it but she couldn’t help herself. That was her fiancé, the love of her life, and he was nowhere to be found.

In the distance, Alice heard the sound of people chattering. She lifted her head and turned towards the door. She could hear them faintly. She placed Loki’s pillow back on the bed reluctantly, hoping that the smell of him would continue to linger in the linen. Alice turned and headed out the door, trying to find where the voices were coming from.

Naturally, Alice got lost. Of course. That would never change about her. It took her twenty minutes before she found the room where the voices came from, and when she entered it, she was nothing short of relieved. Standing in the room was Steve, Natasha, Rhodey, Sam, Wanda, and Vision.

“Captain.” It was the first word she could think of. Everyone turned around with wide eyes and dropped jaws. Steve took a step forward and reached out as if he had seen a ghost.

“Alice?” Steve asked as he got closer. Alice nodded as she bit her lip. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Steve, pressing her face against his uniform.

“It’s me.” Alice felt Steve’s arms wrap around her. He couldn’t believe his eyes and neither could anyone else. When Alice pulled away, his eyes were still wide with disbelief.

“Thor said you were dead.” Natasha pointed out as she ran forward to hug Alice. “We all thought you were gone.”

“I’m here, it’s okay.” Alice smiled at everyone. Alice explained everything that had happened, beginning with the death of Frigga. She knew whatever she told them about Thanos, Ebony Maw, and his beast of a partner would be vital information. She told them what had happened to Peter and Tony, and mentioned that there was someone new on their playing field who went by Doctor Stephen Strange.

After hearing her story, everyone was silent. She wasn’t sure what they were thinking or how they were taking this all in. Sam told Alice about what had happened to them in their encounter with Thanos’ children, telling her that there were at least two more beings to watch out for. Alice found herself panicking even more at the thought of this. This was all too much to handle.

“Steve, if you don’t mind me asking, where’s Bucky and Bruce?” She asked. 

“They’re both okay, don’t worry. In fact, I think we might need to go see them.” Steve pressed his lips into a thin line. He ran his hand over his growing beard, keeping his eyes focused on the ground below them. “We definitely need to go see them.”

“Well, where are they?” Alice asked. Steve looked up at her and smirked. 

“You’ll see. But first, I need to get something.” Steve said as he began to wander out of the room. Alice’s heart rate increased as she saw him leaving. It reminded her of how Loki had left her just before Asgard was destroyed. She reached forward and grabbed his hand.

“Where are you going?” Alice said in a panic. Natasha raised her eye at Alice’s behavior. The girl was never this scared before. Steve looked at her and brushed his fingers over Alice’s cheek.

“I’m just grabbing something that…something that Tony kept here.” Steve smiled. Alice felt tears prickling her eyes. She tried to blink them away, but all she could see was Loki. She felt as if she was back in her and Loki’s chambers on Kilron and suddenly, the air around her was becoming too thin. She grabbed Steve’s hand tighter, willing it to feel like Loki’s cold skin.

“You can’t go! What if he comes here!” Alice yelled. Natasha came up from behind Alice and tried to place her hand on Alice’s shoulder. Upon contact, Alice whipped around and went to punch Natasha. When Natasha caught her hand, Alice froze. Alice dropped her hand and looked at the ground. “I’m sorry. I just remembered…never mind.”

“What happened?” Wanda said softly from behind them. Alice had practically forgotten that she was there.

“For a second, I just thought I was back on Kilron with Loki. I’m sorry, Steve, Nat.” Alice looked at the two figures in front of her sheepishly. Steve wrapped his arm around Alice and pulled her against his body.

“It’s alright. We’ll all go grab what I needed.” Steve smiled and led the group out of the room. Alice could tell that through his smile, he was both worried about her and scared of her. She didn’t blame him, she was too. All she wanted was to know if Loki was okay. Until then, she wasn’t sure how stable she really was.

 

**

 

The aircraft was practically silent as it headed through the sky. Wanda was cooped up with Vision, Natasha and Sam were flying the ship, and Rhodey was napping in the back. Alice wished she could sleep, but she was haunted in too many ways. Steve must have noticed since he was never more than two paces away. He was watching her carefully, and when he noticed her fiddling with a necklace around her neck, he figured it was time to step in. He walked closer to her and crouched between her knees, resting his hands on her thighs.

“How was Asgard?” Steve asked with a smile. Alice chuckled and let the necklace free from the twiddling of her fingers.

“Vibrant and full of drama.” She chuckled. “I missed you guys so much.”

“Trust me, we missed you.” Steve hung his head slightly. “I missed you so much that I could have sworn I saw you in Tony’s office a while back. I’m definitely crazy.”

“Maybe not.” Alice placed her hand under Steve’s chin. She winked down at him, causing the blonde man to blush. He watched her golden necklace dangle from her neck.

“What’s that?” He asked, pointing his chin to the beautiful jewelry. It was Alice’s turn to blush. She held out the locket and clicked the side, exposing the tiny glowing star.

“It was an engagement present.” Alice smiled as her eyes watched the star dance. Steve looked up from the star into her eyes.

“You’re engaged?” His jaw dropped slightly. Alice nodded and slipped her fingerless gloves off of her hands. She held up her left hand, exposing the diamond ring still sitting neatly on her finger. 

“You may call me Princess Alice.” She giggled. Steve threw his arms around her waist and buried his head into her stomach. 

“Oh, God. I’m so happy for you.” Steve laughed. Natasha turned around and smiled at the affection Steve was showing Alice. She knew how much he missed her, especially after Bucky had to leave. “I knew you and Loki were perfect for each other.”

Alice froze at the mention of Loki’s name. Steve pulled away slightly and rested his hands on her thighs again. He could see the light leave her eyes at the thought of not knowing anything about him. Steve ran his hands to her knees and cupped them.

“I wish I knew where he was.” Alice whispered as she closed the locket. “God, he doesn’t even know I’m alive.”

Steve saw the tears filling Alice’s eyes as he ran his fingers across her cheeks. He smiled sadly at her, trying his best to keep himself composed for her sake. He would be lying if he said that he wasn’t petrified at the thought of the two strongest people he knew being taken down by Thanos.

“He’s going to be okay.” Steve reassured her. “And when he comes back here and sees you alive, he’s going to be the happiest man alive.”

“I hope.” Alice whispered as she picked at her nails. She needed to distract herself but she wasn’t sure how. She decided that switching the conversation focus onto Steve would be the best idea. “So why exactly were Bruce and Bucky not at headquarters?”

Steve paused, choosing his words very carefully. “Bucky went rogue. His mind got taken over again and he turned on us. I was able to reign him back in but not permanently. He was having some major episodes. Tony then…Tony then found out that back in the day, Bucky killed Tony’s parents.”

“Oh my god.” Alice placed her hands over Steve’s. 

“Yeah, the whole thing made Bruce so stressed that he went green and couldn’t turn back into himself. He got in a plane and ran off. He crashed far away from home and was found by a friend of mine. They had to wrangle him into a lab and forcefully transform him back into Bruce. He hasn’t been able to turn into the Hulk ever since.” Steve sighed as he looked out the front windshield of the plane. They were getting close.

“Who found him?” Alice lifted an eyebrow. “That’s incredible that they were able to get him to turn back.”

“His name is T’Challa, he’s the king of Wakanda. His sister, Shuri, was the one who was able to turn Bruce back.” Steve smiled softly. “Ever since then, Bruce has been in Wakanda with them trying to learn from Shuri. She’s a genius.”

“Sounds like it!” Alice said with wide eyes. Whoever Shuri was, Alice needed to meet her. She sounded incredible. Alice scrunched her eyebrows together with curiosity. “But that doesn’t explain where Bucky is.”

“He’s also in Wakanda. Shuri also helped detach his mind from Hydra.” Steve explained. Alice nodded slowly as the light from the sun disappeared from inside the jet. She looked outside and saw the plane approaching a mountainside. She gripped Steve’s hands and felt her breathing increase.

“Steve, we’re going to crash.” Alice said as she hopped out of her seat. Before she had a chance to run to the console, Steve wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back against him. He held her tightly as she watched the plane head directly towards the mountain.

“Relax, we’ll be fine.” Steve said softly into her ear.

“Making contact in 3…2…” Sam said as he guided the plane downwards. Alice held onto Steve as she watched the plane head straight into the mountainside. Yet, instead of feeling the impact of a crash, the plane simply glided through the mountain. The plane went dark for a moment before the windows were filled with the sight of towers and trees. Alice gasped and pulled herself away from Steve so she could watch what was happening around them. It was unlike anything she had seen.

“Welcome to Wakanda.” Steve said as he came up from behind Alice. 

“I’ve never even heard of this place.” Alice said in awe. Sam chuckled as he directed the plane towards a landing strip on the ground.

“And how does it compare to Asgard?” Sam looked over his shoulder at Alice. She shook her head, her lips still parted in shock at everything happening.

“It’s perfect.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the fate of Loki and Thor are still unknown to everyone. They reached out to Doctor Strange with some desperation, which has clearly set Alice on edge. What do you guys think is going to happen next? Let me know!


	45. The Ultimate Loss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Thank you for reading, as always. Comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated. Enjoy this very emotional chapter (I hated writing it but it had to be done)
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 4141

When the plane opened up to let the group walk off, Alice was utterly nervous. 

Steve had told her that they were meeting his friend T’Challa, who also happened to be the king. Alice knew she probably shouldn’t be too freaked out; she was also considered royalty after all. However, the circumstance of them being here was what was chilling her nerves. Maybe she felt so gutted because she thought she was partially to blame. She was the one who made Loki expose the tesseract in the first place, which, in turn, sent Thanos chasing after them. Alice stayed with Sam, knowing that at least his comedic tendencies would be able to relax her.

Steve and Natasha led the group off the plane. They walked towards the confident man standing at the head of a gathering of female warriors. Alice couldn’t take her eyes off of them. They were all simply beautiful.

“Captain, welcome back.” The man at the front of the women said with a gentle smirk. Steve nodded and reached forward the shake his hand.

“King T’Challa, thank you for letting us come by.” So he was T’Challa. T’Challa greeted the group members, but stopped when his eyes landed on Alice. He lifted a dark eyebrow as he took a step towards her.

“This is a face I have not seen before.” T’Challa reached his hand out, signaling for Alice to place her hand in his. Alice stepped forward and let her hand rest in the palm of T’Challa’s. He cupped her hand and smiled kindly. “I am T’Challa, King of Wakanda.”

“Alice, also known as the Phoenix.” Alice smiled softly. She felt her lips twinge into the slightest frown as she realized she was leaving off her newest title. She hadn’t had a chance to use it much, but it felt wrong ignoring that side of her. “Princess of Asgard.”

T’Challa smirked and patted her hand. “Asgard? Your friends Thor and Loki come from there, correct?”

“Yeah, they are.” Alice looked down at her hand folded between T’Challa’s. They were warm and comforting, but Alice missed the feeling of the coolness that tickled her fingers when Loki touched her hands. “I’m originally from Earth but I’m engaged to Loki so the whole royalty thing transferred over to me.”

“Congratulations.” T’Challa smiled, his bright white teeth showing his genuine happiness. He released Alice’s hand and crossed his arms over his chest. “Where are they now?”

“Missing.” Steve stepped in before Alice could speak. He knew that if she had to explain what happened to Thor and Loki again she would burst into tears. She nodded once at Steve, silently thanking him for helping her. “Their spacecraft was under attack. They contacted a man named Doctor Stephen Strange from New York for help. His friend then contacted us. Alice showed up at Stark Tower and told us everything. Coming to you was our most favorable option.”

“And where is Mr. Stark?” T’Challa questioned. Alice sighed and chewed her lip remembering the sight of Tony, Peter, and Stephen shooting up into Ebony Maw’s ship. She felt Sam’s hand rest against her back, gently calming her. 

“One of Thanos’ men took them.” Alice said softly. T’Challa eyed Steve knowingly before escorting them around the front of the palace.

“How big of an assault should we expect?” T’Challa asked over his shoulder. 

“From what it sounds like, a pretty damn big one.” Natasha smirked as she kept up with T’Challa’s pace. 

“We’re going to need all the help we could get.” Steve said as he kept glancing back at Alice. Although her feet were carrying her, her mind was elsewhere. She was staring at the ground as if she wanted it to swallow her up. He sighed, but when he saw who was walking towards them, he knew he would see her smile again.

“All of Wakanda will fight for this cause.” T’Challa paused and turned around. “All of Wakanda and your friends.”

“Alice?” Alice looked up at the sound of her name to see Bucky and Bruce standing behind T’Challa. Bucky’s eyes were wide and he was shaking. Alice broke out into a huge smile before she ran forward and jumped into Bucky’s arms. She felt the cool metallic of his metal hand sliding along her clothes as he buried his face into her neck. “Steve said you were dead. Oh, God, Alice, you were dead.”

“It’s a long story that I’ve told too many times.” Alice said as she held her friend. “But I’m here now.”

“But where’s…?” Bucky’s words drifted off as he looked at Steve who was shaking his head from behind Alice. Bucky pulled away and ran his soft hand down her cheek. “I missed you.” Bucky whispered. Alice gave him another tight squeeze before pushing him towards Steve. Alice turned excitedly to Bruce before giving him a tight hug. His hair had gotten much grayer, but she suspected that was from the grueling transformation he had gone through.

“Shuri is in the lab preparing to extract the stone.” T’Challa looked towards Vision then back at Steve. “I would like to suggest that some of your group stays outside to keep watch for any incoming vessels. The lab is small and this may be a very intense process. I doubt Shuri would appreciate an audience during this trying experience.”

“I’ll stay outside.” Alice volunteered. Everyone looked at her carefully as if they were questioning her sanity. She fiddled with the ring on her finger. Steve watched the jewel dance around her finger, and he knew exactly why she wanted to stay outside; she was still waiting for Loki.

 

**

 

‘Alice, I love you. I love you so much, please, don’t leave me.’

Loki’s last words to her haunted Alice. She was sitting out in front of the palace with her hands covering her eyes. She couldn’t get the memories of him crying over her out her head. She felt the familiar pain of Evig’s blade piercing her stomach. Alice reached down and ran her fingers over the material of her suit. She pressed her fingers harder against her body, feeling the raised skin of the wound stretching across her skin.

Alice knew she wasn’t alone. Bucky, Rhodey, and Sam were all standing around her. She could hear them talking about something but she knew they were all watching her out of the corners of their eyes. They didn’t want to say anything and she didn’t want them to say anything. 

Alice felt herself groan internally. How ironic this whole thing was. One of the things she wanted most back on Asgard was to be surrounded by her friends again. Well, here she was, surrounded by her friends, and only wanting Loki. She rolled her eyes. She knew she sounded like a teenager directly out of a melodramatic book about the supernatural. She couldn’t help it though; the mystery was killing her.

Not only was Loki missing, but so was Thor. The bravest, strongest brothers in the universe had been reduced down to a distress call to a magician in New York. How had this all gone so awry? And then, Tony, Peter, and that magician got swept away by Ebony Maw and his ugly friend. So, really, Alice now had five people to worry about. She barely even knew Stephen and yet her foot tapped restlessly against the pavement thinking about the strange man. How did he even know Thor and Loki? There was so much that she didn’t know and it was making her dizzy.

She could hear someone calling her name but it sounded distant. She heard the shuffling of feet but she didn’t care. Her bones felt broken and her body felt like it was made of cement. Suddenly, a hand grabbed Alice’s arm and tugged her inside. She let out a yelp as her eyes shot open and saw a structure of sorts falling from the sky towards them. Alice turned around and found herself stuck between Bucky’s chest and his arms as the structure collided into an invisible dome above the buildings, exploding into a million metal pieces.

“Any chance that’s our boys?” Sam asked as the pieces from the structure crumbled around the now-visible dome. Alice felt her heart stop.

“I find that pretty unlikely. Look!” Rhodey pointed towards three more structures identical to the one that had crashed landing with a terrible tremble outside the dome. Bucky lifted one hand to his ear, pressing the tiny button on the device to start a call.

“Steve, they’re here.” Bucky said as even more triangular ships implanted themselves into the ground. Alice was shaking as everything was pushed into motion. Guards and warriors raced out of the palace. They ran towards the large expanse of fields just outside the city. Alice looked up at Bucky knowingly. This was their fight.

Everything moved in a blur around Alice. One moment she was in Bucky’s arms and the next she was standing beside Steve in a cruiser flying towards the impending fight. She stared down at Bucky and Steve’s interlocked fingers. She pursed her lips and looked away, feeling the pit in her stomach of worry and longing yet again. 

A flash of red caught Alice’s attention. She looked up from the spot her eyes were focused on to see Bruce flying past them in Tony’s Hulkbuster suit. She smirked, realizing that the tiny, red metal box that Steve snagged from Tony’s lab before they left was that suit. 

“Ready, Alice?” Natasha said from beside her. She nodded once as she chewed on her already chapped lip. It was becoming a nasty habit.

“What choice do I have?” Alice chuckled but Natasha could feel the pain radiating through her smile. They departed from the cruisers quickly as two figures came into the distance on the other side of the barrier. “That’s the ugly guy from New York. Where the hell is his friend?”

“She was the one that we ran into.” Natasha mused beside Alice as the warriors of Wakanda aligned themselves behind them. T’Challa made his way through the crowd donned in a black super suit. The warriors laid their eyes upon their king with such hope that it genuinely inspired Alice. Wherever Loki and Thor were, wherever Tony, Peter, and Stephen were, they would end this here and now. They would kill Thanos’ henchmen and then kill Thanos. They could do it. They would do it. 

The woman behind the barrier gave a curt grin as she thrusted her sword into the sky. Behind her, the triangular ships opened up to reveal snarling, mangled creatures. They ran towards the barriers, attempting to gnaw their way through the barely visible dome. Every now and then, one would slip through but would quickly be taken out by Sam or Rhodey flying from above. Clearly, the creatures were beginning to learn as they started circling around the outer edges of the dome.

“We can’t let them get behind us. There’s nothing between them and Vision then.” Steve said quickly. He turned to T’Challa, whose lips were pressed into a firm, tight line. He lifted his hand up to ear and gave a short command. 

“Open the barriers on my command.” T’Challa said as he crossed his arms over his chest with a shout, letting his black helmet cover his head. Alice’s eyes widened at the fantastic tech. She really needed to meet Shuri. After T’Challa’s shout, the barrier opened slightly, letting the creatures freely tear the way into the field.

“Alice, light them up.” Steve said without looking at her. 

“As you wish, Captain.” She nodded once before taking a few steps forward in order to get everyone behind her. Alice let her arms reach out in front of her as she sent a wave of flames crashing into the herd of creatures running towards them. She was able to halt a few of them, but the others just tore their way through her fiery creation. 

“Stop the fire! I guess we’re doing this one-on-one then.” Steve growled as he ran forward with T’Challa at his side. The creatures were quick, but the men were quicker. They sliced through the mangled creatures. Alice felt the warriors of Wakanda rushing past her as they sent themselves into battle. 

Alice followed them eagerly, willing the ground to open beneath the creatures, sucking them into the earth. She knew that if she got close enough to the barrier, she could try and stop more of the creatures from filtering in. Alice quickly ducked in and out of fights, occasionally blasting one of the creatures and helping out a warrior quickly. By the time she reached the entrance to the field, she was already worn out, but she knew she needed to continue.

Alice sent her palms facing towards the entrance of the dome as she shot her fire outwards. The heat of her flames licked her face as she tried to control the creatures. It was working for a while, but she could feel herself getting weary. All of this power and energy being used was taking a toll on her concentration, so it was no surprise that when one of Thanos’ henchmen sent a hammer flying into her abdomen, she didn’t see it coming. 

The hammer hit her stomach so hard that it sent her flying back across the field. She hit the ground with a vicious slam. Alice cried as she gripped her abdomen, feeling the scar from her previous fight with Evig burning to the touch. Alice tried to get up but the creatures were flooding her vision. She forced the air out from them while letting the earth swallow others. 

The battlefield was a mess. Everyone was beginning to get overwhelmed after what felt like hours of relentless fighting. Alice’s flames were turning into gentle flickers. Her energy was completely worn out. She was relying on pure physical fighting to get her through these creatures but it was no use. They were too powerful. Alice shut her eyes, feeling both her will and her energy slipping away from her.

And then, they were gone. The creatures that had been clawing at her had disappeared. Alice pushed herself up on her elbows to see a giant axe soaring across the battlefield. Alice followed the axe, noticing the tiny sparks of lightning shooting off of it. Under her hands, she felt the ground shaking. Alice whipped her head around to see the bifrost opening up and impaling the ground. Her heart picked up speed as the light cleared and the axe landed in the hands of Thor.

He was standing there, tall and powerful. Anger decorated his normally relaxed features. To his right was a…tree? A raccoon sat on his shoulder. It was possibly the oddest thing Alice had ever seen but she didn’t care. Thor was here and he was very much alive.

“Bring me Thanos!” Thor screamed as he raced across the battlefield. He jumped into the air, summoning a clap of thunder as he landed with his axe in the ground, sending half of the creatures tumbling to their death.

Thor was gone in a flash. Alice tried to follow him but he was everywhere taking the gnarly demons out left and right. Alice watched his power grace the field. After he showed up, everyone seemed to be fighting even harder. Winning was on the horizon as Thor tore through the creatures.

“Thor!” Alice screamed as she got close enough to him. He paused for a second, but continued to fight after he shook his head. Alice furrowed her eyebrows and stepped closer as she punched away some oncoming creatures. “Thor!” She yelled even louder. 

Thor spun around with wide eyes as he comprehended what was in front of him. Alice. Living. Breathing. Smiling. 

Thor’s world came crashing down on him as he realized what this had meant. Thor’s eyes filled with tears as he watched the smile wipe away from her face.

“Thor?” Alice whispered. This wasn’t the reaction she was expecting. Thor was shaking as he watched her come closer to him.

“How are you alive?” Thor said. He swung his axe to his left, clearing out the enemies coming towards them with ease.

“Sif used the self-sacrifice spell on me.” Alice admitted as she quickly lit some creatures on fire. Thor looked at her with confusion and fear.

“Sif’s dead? What?” Thor felt a new wave of tears rush over him. “You’re not royal. How did this even work?”

Alice lifted her left hand to show Thor the ring on her finger. “Loki proposed to me before Frigga died. Speaking of Loki, where is he?”

Thor stayed quiet as Alice bobbed back and forth on her heels. Her excitement was peaking, but when Thor kept his mouth quiet, she knew something wasn’t right.

“Thor, where is Loki?” Alice said slowly, her tone much more somber this time. Thor looked up at her and swallowed a thick lump in his throat. 

“Thanos killed him.” Thor whispered. “He thought you were dead and he thought there was nothing else to live for.”

“He’s dead.” Alice repeated back to him. Thor nodded as the battle faded to gray behind her. 

“Alice, I’m so sorry.” Thor said as the tears fell freely from Alice’s eyes. 

Alice felt her chest constricting. Loki had let himself die because he thought that Alice was dead. Alice let out a fierce scream as her tears collided with the ground. Alice fell to her knees, screaming at the top of her lungs. She could hear Steve in her ear piece saying something about needing back up in the forest, but her mind was elsewhere. She could feel the ground shaking as the creatures starting to circle her. Alice curled her fists and screamed, sending those powerful blue flames out of her body again and striking the chests of all the creatures hunting her. They collapsed to the ground as Alice buried her face in her hands.

She was shaking as her world came crashing down around her. Loki was dead. He was truly gone. Alice felt the desolation boiling in her as she thought of the man who took her beloved away from her. Thanos. Was this how Loki felt when Evig killed her? She had taken Evig down with him, so was Loki left with anger or just sadness? Alice didn’t have time to think, she barely had time to breathe. Loki was dead, that much she knew. She didn’t know how it happened and she hated the reason why. Her beautiful, secretly gentle Loki. He was nothing but good to her and he died thinking that he would be rejoined with her in a peaceful afterlife. No, she had left him at the gates of Valhalla alone. Was he looking down on her now? 

Alice felt a cold breeze kiss her cheek and she knew that he was there somehow. The air was sweltering hot and yet the chilliest of winter breezes had blown past her. Alice wiped her tears with her bloody, dirt-covered hands. She looked up at Thor who was staring down at her with shock. Her teeth were bared as the sadness in her morphed into complete and utter anger.

“I’m going to kill him.” Alice growled as she slowly stood from her spot on the ground. She thrusted her arms out and sent blue flames flying all around her.

“Alice, Thanos is too strong, you’ll…”

“I’ll what?” Alice snapped at him. “I’ll die? Been there, done that. So what? At least I’ll be with Loki.” Alice turned towards the forest and began to run. Her feet pounded against the grassy ground as if it had offended her personally. She needed to kill this ugly titan. She didn’t know where he was or what he looked like, but she hated him. She hated him with every ounce of her. He gave her no time to mourn over her fiancé, no, he just filled her with hatred and the need for revenge. The need to avenge Loki. If the situation wasn’t so depressing, Alice may have laughed at her taking advantage of her Avenger title.

The air in her lungs was begging to be unused. Her body was telling her to calm down and relax. She couldn’t. Not with the knowledge that Loki was dead. As she ran, Alice grabbed her necklace. The beautiful piece of jewelry was tucked under her jacket but it felt as if it was burning against her skin. It was a sinful reminder of what Loki had given her, what he had been to her. 

When Alice breached the forest, she ducked her way through the dense trees. She felt a pulse of energy radiating near her and she pounded her feet closer towards it. When she reached that pulling sensation, she saw him.

Thanos.

It felt as if everyone was there. Everyone ran towards him in an attempt to stop him. Alice saw Wanda attempting to force the stone out of Vision’s forehead. Everything kicked into motion as Alice saw the giant titan stalking towards Wanda.

Alice screamed as she thrusted her arms in front of her. That deadly blue fire from before shot from her hands and towards Thanos. He closed his fist, activating the blue stone in his gauntlet. That was the stone from the tesseract, and it made Alice sick knowing that the beautiful stone was the reason her Loki was gone.

The fire simply molded around Thanos as he pushed forward. Alice growled and hit her foot at the ground, causing an earthquake to shudder underneath Thanos. He stumbled slightly, and a few of Alice’s flames were able to push past his barrier and burn the edges of the gauntlet. Thanos watched the edge of his glove melt and he growled sinisterly. He closed his fist and sent a blast from his purple stone into Alice. She shrieked and flew backwards, hitting the side of one of the forest’s mountains.

Alice blinked slowly as Thanos crept up behind Wanda, and sighed as everything faded to black.

 

**

 

When Alice woke up, the air was eerily still. Everything around her was quiet. She pulled herself up from the ground and laid her eyes on Thor. He was standing there watching his axe lay on the ground. There was blood covering it, and Thanos was nowhere to be found.

“Thor? Where did he go?” Steve said. Alice came forward and stared at the god. He stood there in complete shock.

“Steve?” Alice heard Bucky say from behind her. Bucky stared down at his hands that were fading away. She turned around and watched her friend turn into dust. Alice covered her mouth with her hands, completely silent at the sight in front of her. Alice swept her eyes around the forest, watching dust blow through the wind.

Alice was frozen in place as she watched T’Challa fade away in front of his general’s eyes. Next, the tree that Thor arrived with. Wanda fell to pieces over Vision’s broken body. Alice heard Rhodey calling out Sam’s name, and she could only assume the worst.

“What’s happening?” Alice asked behind her hand. Thor stared at her, completely and utterly terrified. She had never seen an expression like that on his face. Thor shook his head and watched his axe sizzle on the ground from the intensity of the blood on it. Alice turned to Steve who had collapsed over Bucky’s ashes, running his hand over the ground as if Bucky was still there. 

“He won.” Steve said slowly. “He really won.”

Alice fell to her knees, not caring about the pain that shot up through her thighs. Had Thanos done exactly what Loki said he wanted to do? Was half the universe about to fade into darkness? Alice choked out a sob at the utter shock of it all. She looked up and tried to take count of who was there.

Thor, Steve, Natasha, Bruce, Rhodey. All safe. T’Challa’s general, who she had learned through his dying words was Okoye, safe. The raccoon that Thor arrived with, safe.

Tony? Peter? Stephen? What had happened to them? Were they victims of whatever Thanos had done? Where even were they? Did Thanos kill them through his dusting, or had they died at his actual hands like Loki?

It was over. Her fight was over. There was nothing she could do but watch everyone she loved stare silently at the remains of their friends. 

Alice shut her eyes, praying silently to Loki. She hoped that wherever he was, he was listening. Listening to her personal pleas and cries. But when the air remained hot and still around Alice’s face, she knew that she was more alone now than she ever had been before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Loki's dead. Half the Avengers are dead. Thanos won. What the hell is going to happen now?
> 
> Well, on the bright side, this fic isn't over just yet (though we are getting close!) However, Alice really hasn't had time to think about the fact that Loki is actually gone. How did you think she's going to react? Let me know!


	46. Dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! So we're nearing the end of this fic :( Thank you for reading, as always. Comments and kudos are loved and appreciated, and of course, enjoy!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 4589

3 Years Later

The ground was warm under Alice’s bare feet. It felt nice to stand outside with her toes being tickled by the grass. They were damp from standing in the trickling water, but the slivers of sun that cut through the trees was enough to dry her skin.

She hummed as she wandered back towards her house. She stared up at the structure made from the Earth itself. The sun was at the perfect angle above the trees. She shut her eyes as she simply tried to enjoy the company that the sun was bringing her. 

It had been three years since Thanos had wiped out half of the planet. Three years since Thanos killed…him. Alice didn’t dare utter his name. Even after these long years it broke her heart to think about him. The lonely nights in bed, the long days in the Tower. She missed him. It hurt too much to think about him. So, she ran. She ran to where Thor and Tony had first found her. She cooped herself up in her Earth-built home and let the only reminder of him be the necklace that dangled around her neck. 

She had taken the ring off long ago. It always felt like it burned around her finger whenever she wore it. So, she slipped it off and hid it in her house. She knew exactly where it was but pretended she didn’t. She couldn’t look at that diamond without thinking about how she died in his arms while staring into its cuts and curves.

Alice didn’t realize she had dug herself back into the hole of thinking about him. It wasn’t until she heard the grass crunching behind her that she realized it. Alice snapped out of her depressive reverie and turned and saw the only person she still had contact with.

“Hey there.” Steve smiled as he walked towards her. Alice smiled, as much of a smile as she could muster at least, and walked towards him, wrapping her arms around his waist. She pressed her face to his chest and breathed him in.

“Long time, no see.” She chuckled as she pulled back. Steve pressed his hand to the side of her face and leaned down. He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, a gesture so foreign to her that it left her skin tingling.

“It’s been a few months, hasn’t it?” Steve sighed. He wrapped an arm around Alice and began to guide her towards her house. “We’ve just been so busy.”

“I bet.” Alice pressed her lips into a tight line. She didn’t want to talk about the Avengers or what they were doing. She felt like a coward for leaving them but there was no other way. With the state that she was in, there was nothing she would be able to do that would help. “Any word from Tony?”

“Nope. He’s still missing. So is Peter and your friend Stephen.” Steve opened the door for Alice. She stopped in the doorway.

“Stephen wasn’t my friend.” Alice said through her teeth. “Stephen was friends with…him.”

“Right.” Steve said sheepishly as Alice continued walking into her house. Steve closed the door behind him and watched Alice slump down into her worn out couch that she had found on a street corner. “Rocket’s friends are still missing, too.”

Alice had learned that was the raccoon’s name. She had also learned that he apparently had a bad spell with alcohol after finding out that his tree friend died and his friends were missing. She was surprised he could handle all the booze that was going into his body. 

“Any word from Thor?” Steve said as he sank into the couch beside her. Alice froze and shook her head. She stared down at her hands, watching her fingers fold together as she tried to stop herself from falling into tears.

“No, we don’t talk anymore.” Alice smiled sadly. She turned and looked at Steve’s destroyed expression.

“But you two were best friends.” Steve whispered. Alice nodded and pushed some of her hair behind her ear. 

“Yeah. He did everything he could to take care of me but every time we looked at each other we just…we thought of…” Alice trailed off.

“Loki.” Alice snapped her head around and stood from the couch. 

“Don’t say his name!” Alice yelled. Steve shrunk back as he watched the tears that suddenly formed in Alice’s eyes begin to fall down her cheeks. “Never say that name.”

“Alice, I’m sorry.” Steve stood up and walked across the room to envelop his friend into his arms. 

She shook violently as she let her tears soak Steve’s sweater. She smashed her hands against Steve’s chest, taking out all of her frustration and anger on his sternum as she could. Steve let her bash her fists against him as much as she needed. He knew how she bottled up her feelings after everything that had happened. She let everything hurt her directly. For a while there, she stopped eating and Steve could see the indents in her cheeks and the boniness of her hands as a result of that. She didn’t take care of herself which is why Steve felt so protective over her. Without Loki, Alice was a wreck. She blamed herself, though she would never admit it.

Alice slumped against Steve’s chest as he held her. She buried her head in his chest as he rubbed her back. Alice shut her eyes and tried to make her breathing calm down, but her sobs kept escaping her. Steve shushed her, rocking her back and forth as she let her breaths even out.

“I miss him.” Alice said softly. Alice looked up into Steve’s tear-filled eyes, and for just a moment, she saw the ocean-colored tinge of Loki’s eyes in his own. She could tell Steve saw the grayish-blue hue of Bucky’s eyes in hers. Alice pressed her lips together and let her gaze fall to Steve’s sweater. 

“Whenever I look at you, I see Bucky.” Steve admitted. Alice hesitated for a moment, scared that the soldier was developing feelings for her out of his own loss. Steve noticed how she froze up and let out a breathy laugh. “Don’t get the wrong impression, it’s not like that.” Steve chuckled as Alice’s cheeks heat up. He sighed and looked away. “You just remind me of him.”

“Steve…”

“Come back to the Tower.” Steve said quickly. Alice stepped away from Steve shaking her head. Her hands startled to tremble in the same way that Steve’s upper lip did. “Alice, we need you.”

Alice pushed away softly as she walked back to the couch. She sat down and folded into herself as she reconsidered Steve’s request. She wanted to go back. She missed everyone and being alone with her thoughts was scary to her sometimes. But she wasn’t ready for that step. She needed a little more time to be alone. She couldn’t walk into Stark Tower without thinking about Tony, Peter, and him. It hurt too much to see their faces flash through their mind.

“I can’t.” Alice whispered. Steve leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over the tear-stained spot on his chest. “I’m not ready for that. There’s nothing I can do.”

“We can’t beat Thanos without you.” Steve said. Alice gave him a sharp look for mentioning the name of the evil titan who took the love of her life away from her. Steve ignored her dagger eyes and continued. “There’s still so much more we can do to fix this. We just need to figure out what those things are.”

“Steve…”

“What would he do?” Alice knew who she was talking about and she silently thanked him for not saying his name. “What would he do if Thanos killed you? Do you think he would ever stop finding a way to kill the man who kill you? Do you think he would run and hide?”

Alice bit her lip at Steve’s dig at her. She knew he didn’t mean any harm by his comment. He only meant to inspire her. Still, she felt the familiar pang of guilt ripple through her chest. When Alice had died, she took her killer down with her. There was no one for Loki to get revenge on. She, however, had a target to aim for. Alice was just turning a blind eye to that target, pretending it didn’t exist. 

“Just consider it, Alice.” Steve walked over to her and kissed her on top of her head. “I need to get back to base. You know where to find me.” He walked towards the door and let himself out, not letting Alice fight back again. 

 

**

 

Alice didn’t want to keep thinking about Steve’s words but she couldn’t stop running over their conversation in her head. Alice had tucked herself into bed as she mulled over everything he said. Sleeping was the best idea but Alice knew that she would never be able to shut her eyes for long enough. Any time that she fell asleep, she’d be haunted by nightmares about Thanos and dying in her lover’s shaking arms. Yet, the only way she could avoid Steve’s desperate pleas were to let the nightmares take her over. Alice shut her eyes and felt herself drifting off easier than she had in the past three years…

 

There was light everywhere, even though Alice’s eyes were closed. She didn’t want to face the brightness but her eyes fluttered open regardless. Alice groaned as she took in the piercing whiteness that filtered in around her. Alice glanced down and saw that she was standing on what looked to be a cloud. She felt a breeze whip around her, chilling her in the most heart wrenching way.

Alice spun herself around slowly. She kept blinking to try and shrink the brightness away from her. Yet, when she finally turned, she saw a figure standing in the distance. Alice squinted her eyes as she stared at the figure. As her eyes adjusted, she began to realize what exactly was in front of her.

Or rather, who exactly was in front of her.

Alice watched the figure come into perfect view. The dark, long hair. White leather armor. Billowing golden cape. Alice couldn’t believe her eyes as she watched him with his back to her.

“Loki?” Alice whispered. She winced. It was the first time that she had said Loki’s name in years. The man didn’t move but Alice refused to give up hope. “Loki!” She called out louder.

The man’s back straightened as he turned around slowly. When he caught sight of her, his lips curled into the most beautiful smile. Alice let out a sob as she met his ocean-colored eyes.

“My rose.” Loki said. Alice didn’t even think about what she did next. She ran to him, faster than she had ever run before. The clouds beneath her moved out of the way as she picked up speed. He was so close to her. Loki opened his arms as Alice ran into them, wrapping her arms around his neck in completely shock. Loki tightened his grip around the small of her back as he buried his face into her neck. “My beautiful, beautiful Alice.”

“You’re here. You’re…you’re…” Alice couldn’t even finish her thought. She pulled away and kissed him. The feeling of his cool lips melding with hers sent her heart into a frenzy. It was beating out of control when he kissed her. His hands gripped her waist hard enough to leave bruises. Alice’s head spun at the feeling. She missed this more than she could put into words. When Loki pulled away, he rested his forehead against hers and let out an airy sigh. Alice’s lips curled up in a genuine smile. “You’re alive.”

Loki’s brow tightened as he ran his thumb over Alice’s bottom lip. “No, darling. I’m not. I’m long gone.”

“Then how are you here?” Alice asked as she cupped his cheeks in her hands. She never wanted this moment to end. It had been years since she felt his smooth skin under her fingertips and looked into his loving eyes.

“A lot of dark magic that will probably get me sent to Hel for a few centuries or so.” Loki chuckled as he kissed her forehead. “But I needed to see you. The only way I could do so was in your dreams. I’ve been working up the energy for so long.”

“I miss you.” Alice said quickly. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at Loki. “I…I can’t do this without you, Loki. It’s been so long. I can’t feel anything anymore. I’m numb. You’re gone and I can’t live with that fact any longer.”

“No, baby, you must be strong. Please, you must.” Loki begged as he kissed all over her face. Alice shook her head and pushed herself closer to Loki’s body. She wasn’t sure how long this would last so she needed to make every second count.

“What is there to be strong for? You’re dead, Thor won’t talk to me, Thanos killed so many people. I don’t even know where Tony is.” Alice felt her lower lip trembling. Loki ran his thumbs over her cheekbones, catching the tears before they even fell.

“Tony’s alive. I’ve been watching over him.” Alice’s jaw dropped slightly at Loki’s words. “His ship’s communication system is broken but he’s just outside the atmosphere. He’s going to be here soon.”

“And Peter? Stephen?” Alice asked. Loki’s expression went grim. He wanted to look away from her but he couldn’t. Her eyes were too captivating.

“Both gone. Victims of Thanos’ snap.” Loki mumbled. Alice felt her throat tighten. She buried her face back into Loki’s chest and let out a sob. Loki ran his hands over her back trying to comfort her.

“What’s even the point anymore?” Alice mumbled. She didn’t mean to say it out loud but the words just slipped out. Loki placed his finger under her chin and lifted her head up as he always used to. Alice’s heart fluttered at the memories.

“The point is that the fight is not over. You have a chance to get them back.” Loki smirked. 

“That’s not possible.” Alice gasped. Loki shook his head and cupped her cheeks again. His smile was mischievous and loving.

“Oh, but it is. I don’t have all the answers, my love but I can help.” Loki’s smile faded as he ran a hand through Alice’s hair. “I don’t have much time left with you. We must make this quick.” 

“No, Loki, please you can’t leave!” Alice gripped onto Loki’s white leather clad chest. She reached up and kissed him as if it would make him stay longer. Loki groaned at the feeling of her desperate, passionate lips moving against his own. Her hands were all over him as she pressed herself against him. 

His entire time spent in Valhalla consisted of watching over her and the others. Every time Alice had done something self-destructive, he tried to send her a sign. Yet, she would brush it off, thinking she imagined it. Loki longed to be with her again but it wasn’t possible. Every minute he spent in his new golden heaven, Loki was picturing what it would be like to hold Alice again. He longed to kiss her, hold her, make love to her. But right now, she was here in in the dreamland-ish way that Loki had created. This was all he could ask for.

“It’s been too long.” Loki growled as he moved his lips down to her jaw. He kissed down her neck, attaching his lips under her ear and sucking a bruise into the skin. Alice gasped and pressed herself against him.

“Is it possible to dream-fuck me?” Alice giggled. Loki paused the movement of his lips to laugh against her skin. Loki looked back up at her and kissed her gently on the lips. His chuckles persisted as he stared into Alice’s green eyes. The brilliant sound of his laughter warmed her frozen heart. It was a delicate reminder of the reason Alice was so drawn to Loki in the first place.

“Oh, darling. The things I would do to you if I had the chance. Unfortunately, that would consume for too much of my energy and I don’t have much of that left.” Loki brushed his fingertips down Alice’s chest and stomach, then back up to her shoulders and down her arms. When he reached her hands, Loki squinted. “You’re not wearing your ring.”

“It made me too sad.” Alice blushed nervously. Loki brought her hands up to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

“Wear it. Now you know that I’m still here and watching over you, it should only bring you peace.” Loki smiled. Alice paused and scrunched her eyebrows together.

“You’ve been watching over me?” Alice asked. Loki hummed with a nod.

“It’s all I do, my rose. I do my best to keep you safe.” Loki took in a sharp breath and gripped onto Alice’s hands tighter. “I must go. I’ve been here far too long. Odin is beginning to notice, I believe.”

Loki began to pull away but before he could, Alice pulled him back and kissed him one last time. “When will I see you again?”

“You may never. I’m so sorry.” Loki leaned down and pressed a lingering kiss to Alice’s forehead. He shut his eyes, not daring to let her see the stinging tears forming in them. “I love you so much. Never forget that. Go back to Stark Tower. Wait for Tony. You guys will know what to do once you’re all together.” 

“Loki…”

“One last thing, Alice. Your answer lies in a man named Scott Lang. He will prove to be your most important ally. He should be showing up right around the same time as Tony. How convenient.” Loki smirked. He brought Alice’s hand back up to his lips and pressed a kiss on the back of her hand. “Sweet dreams, my rose.”

Loki pulled away and began walking towards a shimmering light in the distance. His golden cape blew around him as he glided through the clouds. Alice reached out to him, but her Asgardian angel was just getting further and further away. The light got brighter and brighter, and before Alice knew it, Loki was gone…

 

Alice shot up out of her bed with a gasp. She grasped her heart, feeling it race beneath her hands. She was shaking as she thought about what had happened. Was Loki actually there?

Alice got up out of her bed and walked across the room to one of her drawers. She opened the drawer and fumbled around, pulling out her engagement ring. She slipped it on and immediately felt an unfamiliar calming feeling come over her. Alice sighed and looked at the ring, and for a moment, she swore she saw a flash of raven colored hair in its reflection. Alice ran her fingers over her neck, remembering the feeling of Loki’s lips pressed over her pulse. Alice pulled a mirror out of the drawer and pushed her hair to the side. Alice gasped and dropped the mirror after seeing the skin under her ear a delicate purple color, right in the spot where Loki had kissed her.

“It was real.” Alice whispered to no one but herself. She shut her eyes and laughed for the first time in so long. He was really with her. Alice looked up to her ceiling. “I love you so much, Loki. I promise, I’m going to make this right.”

 

**

 

“Steve!” Alice called out as she entered Stark Tower. It was eerily quiet, reminding her of what it felt like wandering these halls when she landed back on Earth again. “Nat! Bruce! Anyone here?” 

“Alice?” Bruce said softly from behind her. She whipped around and found Bruce with heavy bags under his eyes and thinning hands. Steve had told her he was working nonstop to figure out a solution to what had happened, but she didn’t realize how much of a toll it took on him.

“Bruce, where is everyone? I need to see them.” Alice walked over and held Bruce’s hands. She could feel them shaking under her touch. He looked down at her with a faint smile.

“Everyone’s showing up today, huh? They’re in the lab, come on.” Bruce led her through the abandoned halls of the building quickly. He could see the urgency in her face when she walked through the front doors. By the time they got to the lab, Alice’s heart stopped. Almost everyone was there, including Tony with a gallon of water in his hands and a blanket wrapped around his bare arms.

“Tony!” Alice ran over to him and wrapped her arms around him. She pressed her face into his bony shoulder and sighed. 

“Hey, kid.” Tony’s voice was shaky as he attempted to hug her. “Steve told me everything. I’m so happy you’re alive.”

“How did you get back?” Alice asked. Tony smirked and pointed a thumb back at the woman standing behind him. She glanced up and saw a blue woman with her arms crossed. “Who are you?”

“Nebula. I’m friends with Rocket.” Nebula said with her arms still firmly crossed over her body. “Our ship was just floating through space when we suddenly picked up a signal. It was Rocket’s external homing device, designed for if the ship’s communication went down. Through all the damage that the Benatar endured, it was still able to connect with it once we were close enough.”

“Wait, Benatar? Like Pat Benatar?” Alice held back a chuckle. Nebula nodded with a faint smile.

“Yeah, our friend Peter Quill named it. He was from Earth.” Nebula frowned and looked down at Tony. “He was dating my sister, Gamora. Thanos killed them both. He also killed our friends Mantis and Drax. He killed your friends Peter and Stephen.”

Alice felt Tony stiffen under her hands at the mention of Peter and Stephen. Alice ran her hands down his blanketed arms with her closed eyes. “Loki was right.”

“Loki?” Alice lifted an eyebrow at Thor’s voice from behind her. She sighed and turned around, locking eyes with her friend. He looked so broken that Alice felt herself filling with guilt at the idea of not being there to help him.

“I didn’t know you were here.” Alice whispered. She rubbed her hands together, feeling suddenly chilly in the crowded room. 

“I returned after hearing that Tony had been found.” Thor said with a blank face. Alice nodded slowly.

“Yeah, he, uh, visited me…in my dreams.” 

“Even in death he remains to be incredibly powerful.” Thor smiled sentimentally as he ran his fingers through his overgrown beard. Clearly, he hadn’t been taking care of himself, either. “What did he tell you?”

“He told me that this whole thing can be reversed, he just wasn’t sure how. He told me that he had been watching over all of us, including Tony, and he said Tony would be back soon.” Alice looked back at Tony who was in complete shock. “So if he was right about that then he must be right about being able to fix this.”

“How? How can any of that be possible?” Steve said with his left eyebrow quirked up. Alice smirked, remembering Loki’s words clear as day in her head.

“He told me that our answer lies in someone named Scott Lang.” Alice said. She watched the recognition fill Steve’s eyes. “Loki said he should be arriving shortly after…”

The sound of an incoming call interrupted their conversation. Steve eyed Alice cautiously, as if he knew exactly who would be on the other side of this message. Steve pressed a button to display the call screen and gasped at who was there.

“Hey guys! It’s, uh, me, Scott Lang. Ant-Man! We fought together in Germany at that airport! Could you maybe let me in?” Scott said through the call. Steve pressed a button next to him without even answering and Alice could see the front doors opening in the call.

“You fought at an airport in Germany?” Alice asked. Tony laughed as he sipped from his water.

“Yeah, against me.” Tony shrugged. “I told you that you missed a lot while you were gone.”

Steve ran downstairs to bring Scott up, and by the time they arrived, everyone was crowding together in the room. Even Rocket had abandoned his beer in the kitchen in order to hear what was going on. Scott’s face lit up as he looked around the room of heroes as if he was a kid in a candy store.

“Wow! This is a bigger audience than I thought I had.” Scott locked eyes with Tony and a nervous blush crept onto his face and neck. Scott reached his hand out with his lips pressed together into a firm line. “Mr. Stark?”

“All is forgiven, Lang. What’s going on?” Tony said with a raised eyebrow. Scott nodded and began shuffling around nervously. Alice watched him with intense eyes as Scott looked her way. He smiled at her before he began telling his story.

“Well, I don’t know really. That’s why I came to you guys.” Scott scratched his neck nervously. “See, I was in San Francisco with my girlfriend Hope and her parents, Janet and Hank Pym.”

“Wait, Hank Pym? My dad was friends with that guy.” Tony stood up suddenly. “He was a genius.”

“Yeah, well now he’s gone. See, I went into this thing called the quantum realm and when they were supposed to get me out, they weren’t answering. I floated around in there for what seemed like only a few minutes. When I popped out, all three of them were gone.” Scott chewed his lip.

“Was there dust where they were standing?” Alice spoke for the first time since he arrived. Scott nodded with wide eyes.

“Yeah! So, then I went home to see if my ex-wife or her husband knew what was happening and they were both gone. Even my daughter wasn’t there.” Scott’s excited tone dropped suddenly. “I turned on the TV to see if there were any answers there, and the news report said it was three years later.”

“Thanos got to them. All of them.” Thor growled. Alice reached over and placed a hand on Thor’s arm. The god flinched at her contact but soon relaxed into her touch. Obviously she wasn’t the only one who deprived herself from human affection.

“Who?” Scott asked. Tony shook his head and came forward, abandoning his empty gallon of water.

“Not important right now.” Tony rolled his eyes. “You said you worked with Hank Pym and he sent you into the quantum realm? What the hell is that?”

“Oh, it’s this weird place where space and time just don’t exist. It’s filled with weird colors and time vortex pockets.” Scott said with a matter-of-fact tone. Tony’s eyebrows shot up and he turned to Bruce, who clearly was thinking the same thing.

“Time vortex? As in, manipulation of time lines?” Bruce said. Scott shrugged.

“Maybe? Janet told me not to go in there or else they wouldn’t be able to get me out because I’d be…in…another…place…” Scott said slowly as he began to realize what he was saying. Tony walked over and wrapped his arms around Scott, shaking slightly.

“God dammit, Scott Lang. You’re about to save us all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even in death, Loki continues to risk his safety for Alice. He came to her in a dream, telling her that there's still hope left and luckily, she listens. Now Tony is back and Scott Lang is here to help! As we wrap up, we'll see what exactly the plan is for getting everyone back and if that plan includes trying to save Loki. What do you guys think is going to happen?


	47. New York, New York

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! So sorry for the late update (the Adult Life has been really interrupting my writing recently). Yet, here we are! Thank you for reading, comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated. And, of course, enjoy!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 4925

It took one full year for Tony and Bruce to successfully find a way to safely navigate through the quantum realm. Thor took Scott back to San Francisco to collect all of Hank Pym’s documents and notes on the strange place, but once they were all found, the scientists were able to move right along. 

Time travel was never something that Alice thought was possible. Then again, she never thought that a rainbow bridge would be able to transport her to a foreign realm filled with gods in a matter of seconds. Things were weird and she was okay with that. Weird was going to be the way that they would defeat Thanos. She could live with that.

When Alice found out that Nebula and her sister Gamora knew Loki back when he was being tortured by Thanos, her heart broke. Loki wasn’t the only one who had suffered torture from Thanos. Nebula and her sister had endured years of pain and punishment from the mad titan. Nebula told her what her and Loki had gone through and it only inspired Alice to kill Thanos more. She needed to avenge her fiancé. He didn’t deserve to die at the hands of the man who ruined his life. 

Even though the glimmer of hope was on the horizon, Alice still found it hard to make it through each and every day. She would go to sleep every night with the hope that Loki would visit her again in her dreams. When he continued to not show up, Alice woke up with her happiness fleeting her. She was so nervous all the time, causing her to have flashbacks to when she died in Loki’s arms. It affected her more than she thought it would.

Steve could see how much everything was affecting her. He tried to stay with her as much as possible, knowing that the easy company would help both of them. Steve suggested that Thor keep her company, but even the god still found it hard to look Alice in the eyes without remembering how Thanos had snuffed out his brother’s life.

Her and Steve had been relaxing in one of the common areas, trying to focus on anything other than death and destruction. Yet, the inevitable happened and Alice had another panic attack. Steve was doing everything in his power to soothe her. Once he got her calmed down, she relaxed into his embrace and just sat there with a blank look on her face. It was then that the PA system sounded for an announcement.

“Avengers report to lab room 7B.” Tony’s voice rung out through the loud speakers. “It’s ready.”

Alice slowly looked up at Steve. He was looking at her with the same concern on his face. 

“Do you think he means the quantum realm navigation?” Alice said in a small voice. Steve shrugged but got up, lifting Alice up with him.

“I knew they were close to finishing but not this close.” Steve mumbled. He looked down at Alice with a positive smile. “Guess there’s only one way to find out.”

The walk to the lab was quiet. Alice felt Steve’s hand on the small of her back but every other part of her was numb. This didn’t feel real. Half of her was excited to think that maybe, just maybe, they could reverse what had happened. The other half of her dreaded to think about the idea of time travel to begin with. It was a dangerous thing to mess with timelines, Alice assumed, but they were desperate. They would go to any measure to change what Thanos did.

When they entered the lab, everyone was standing around the quantum tunnel that Scott helped construct. There was a nervous energy surging around the room that everyone could feel. Tony was standing at the head of the group, his now-gray hair glowing like a halo.

“So, it’s finished.” Tony said slowly. “We ran the tests and it worked. Everything works.”

“Well, let’s do it then.” Thor said from the opposite side of the room. Alice watched him with careful eyes. Thor glanced at her and offered her a gentle smile before turning his attention back to the front of the room.

“What’s the plan, Tony?” Natasha asked. The group had been going over plans ever since Scott showed up but Alice never paid attention. She was too busy keeping herself calm to focus on anything else. Even now, Alice found herself zoning out slightly as she felt the nerves creep back into her. Tony leaned against the tunnel and crossed his arms.

“I don’t want all of us to go. If something bad happens and one of us dies in whatever past we go to, it’ll kill our current self too. We need to preserve some of our strength.” Tony pressed his lips into a tight line as he scanned over everyone. “So, I picked out a few of us to go. You guys can decide if you like that or not.”

Tony looked around the room at all of his friends, his family. He could see the desperation in their eyes. They had all lost someone because of Thanos and they all had a reason for wanting to fight. He knew this needed to be a tactical decision. The fate of their universe relied on this.

“Alright so my decision holds that we send the following people, alright?” Tony asked as he pulled out a piece of wrinkled paper with pen scratches all over it. Clearly, he had been thinking about this for too long. “Me, Scott, Steve, Nebula, and Alice”

“What?” Alice looked up as she heard her name. Her heart stopped in her chest. She shook her head slowly as she walked towards Tony. “No, this isn’t a good idea. I’m not…I’m not in the right mindset for this.”

“Alice you need to go.” Bruce said from beside Tony. Alice felt Steve’s hands rest on her shoulders as her heart rate increased.

“Why? This doesn’t make any sense!” Alice said through her shaking teeth. She knew they were making a mistake by trying to send her. In no way was she fit to handle the stress and violence of what was bound to come. Simple discussions of actions to take caused Alice to spiral into a panic attack. Actually stepping forward and taking control would ruin her and the team’s chances of success. Tony glanced down for a second before looking back into her eyes.

“Because we’re going back to New York, Alice.” Tony stared into her eyes. “We’re going back to when Loki tried to take over. We had two of those stones right there in the old Stark Tower and we didn’t even know it.”

“But why am I going?” Alice was still utterly confused.

“Because you’re the only one Loki will trust.” Thor said from behind her. Alice turned around to see her foreign friend reaching out to her. 

“He didn’t know me back then.” Alice said with tears in her eyes. “He was under Thanos’ control. He probably won’t even let me get near him.”

“You see that thing around your neck?” Thor walked closer to Alice and placed his finger under the locket hanging against her chest. “This is a necklace given to us by our mother. It is a relic that we are to give to the person we will marry. The symbols engraved onto the gold are Loki’s. Only one of his is in existence, and this is it. There is no chance it can be replicated. Once he sees this, he will believe that you are to be trusted and you are here to help.”

“His mind is going to be so clouded by Thanos though.” Alice whispered. She closed her eyes and thought about everything she remembered researching about what happened in New York when she had first met Loki. He was terrifying. She knew that wasn’t truly him but it scared her to think that that man on top of Stark Tower was once her lover.

“When he sees this locket, it will not matter. It’ll be enough.” Thor said as he held Alice’s hands. It was the first time that Thor had touched her in so long. His hands were warm against hers, leaving a sense of comfort instilled into the girl.

“Will this really work?” Alice chewed her lip. She turned around to Tony to see him and Scott nodding. Scott took a step forward and smiled happily.

“Yeah! Time works real weird so there are some things we need to be careful about.” Scott continued to smile. Alice really wondered how he could seem so happy after losing almost everyone in his life. “When you come back from the jump, you’ll land wherever you were supposed to be at that time. So, if you’re supposed to be in your bedroom, when you come back, you’ll be in your bedroom. You’ll remember everything that happened. If the future changes, whoever is in the future won’t remember anything. So, if this works out in the way we hope, when we come back, if everyone who got killed by Thanos is alive, they won’t remember Thanos because he wouldn’t have been on their timeline. The same goes for those of you who stay.”

“And if one of us dies in the past?” Steve raised an eyebrow. Scott’s smile faded as he looked at the soldier.

“Then you stay dead. You’ll be remembered for dying during that time period. The current you, the one standing in front of me, won’t be remembered. It’s like you didn’t exist.” Scott said nervously. Steve nodded and looked at Tony.

“Alright so what’s our plan?” Steve asked. 

“We’ll be deposited back to just after Loki opened the portal. That’s our easiest way to Thanos. Each of us has a different job.” Tony rolled his shoulders as he looked over the people who were going into the past. He went over everyone’s jobs before getting to Alice. “Alice, your job is to get Loki to trust us. He needs to fight with us. He needs to voluntarily hand over the stones for us to use against Thanos. Do anything it takes to shake him from that trance. Nebula and Loki both know Thanos’ ship, together, they can help take him out.”

“I have one request.” Nebula said for the first time. Everyone turned to look at her. She leaned against the wall, her arms crossed over her chest and her dark eyes focused on the ground. “I want to kill Thanos. He’s been torturing me since I was a child. He killed my sister, the only one who loved me. I don’t care who helps, I just want to deal the final blow.”

“That sounds reasonable enough.” Tony said with a grin. “Bruce will be regulating everything from this end. We’ll only have one hour, though, so we need to hurry. If you don’t jump back before the hour is up, you might get stuck in the past and there’s no promise that we can bring you back.” Scott came around to all the heroes who were taking the jump back and began handing them the gear they needed to get to the past.

“When do we leave?” Alice asked. Tony smirked and pointed to the quantum tunnel booting up.

“Now.”

As everyone began to disperse to get ready for going back, Alice felt someone grip her wrist. She turned around and came face to face with Thor. He pulled her into a tight embrace. It felt so comforting being in his arms again. Thor pressed his face to the top of Alice’s head and smiled.

“Bring him home.”

 

**

 

“Everyone ready?” Bruce asked. Tony sent him a thumbs up as everyone looked deep into the heart of the quantum tunnel. Alice grabbed Steve’s hand beside her as they felt the energy taking them over. Suddenly, everything went black.

Traveling through the tunnel felt similar to traveling by means of the tesseract. It took a lot of energy and it felt as if Alice’s bones were being crushed in. She shut her eyes, willing it to be over, and once it was, she knew she wasn’t in Stark Tower any longer.

Screams filled Alice’s ears as she opened her eyes. Chaos was all around them as New Yorkers ran past them in terror. A few of them glanced at Tony and Steve in confusion, swearing that they saw them fighting somewhere else. Alice felt pressure constricting her chest as she watched hundreds of Chitauri fly into the city.

“Hey, just remember to focus on Loki. That’s your job. Leave the rest to us.” Scott said to her with a smile. Alice nodded slowly as she watched everyone run in their personalized directions. Scott pointed up. Alice followed her finger to see that they were standing right beneath Stark Tower. On top, she could see the glimmer of a gold helmet. “Good luck!”

“Thanks, Scott. I’ll need it.” Alice smiled at her new friend. He nodded at her before running after Tony. Alice sighed and rubbed her hands together. The leather from her gloves rubbed a warmth between them as she stared at the top of the building. 

Her heart began to race at the thought of seeing Loki again. It had been four years since she had truly seen him. Was she ready to see this version of him? He was going to be ruthless and there was no doubt that he was going to try and hurt her. She knew it was bound to happen but that knowledge didn’t help at her. Alice gripped her necklace in her hand. She prayed to whoever was up there that he would just listen to her. All she needed was that. She needed him to believe her. She needed her Loki back. It was close to impossible, but a spark ignited in her. He had fallen for her once. Maybe somewhere deep in his heart, he would realize that. He would see the familiarity in her green eyes and understand that Alice wasn’t just someone trying to get him to surrender his scepter and his key to the portal. She was someone who loved him. She was someone who loves him.

“I’m coming for you, Loki.” Alice whispered. She faced her palms towards the ground and began to propel herself up the tower. She felt the air kiss her cheeks as she got closer and closer to the roof. Alice made one last wish that Loki would believe her before she put her serious face on. Crying and panicking wouldn’t save everyone. Being strong was the only way she would win. She could do it. She had to do it. 

Alice landed on top of Stark Tower with a gentle thud. The air whipped through her hair as she spun around slowly. In her mind, she was counting down the minutes until her impending return to the future. When Alice saw Loki’s fluttering green cape come into view, her breath hitched. His helmet was glittering on top of his head and his menacing scepter stood tall in his hand. Alice bit her lip as she realized that he didn’t know she was there yet. She gave herself a few solemn seconds to stare at him. Her stomach churned as she watched him glare over the city. He was really there and in a few short seconds, he would probably try to kill her.

“Loki.” It barely came out as a whisper. Her heart was still racing from seeing his tall, intimidating figure standing just a few feet away from her. Nevertheless, he heard her quiet tone. Loki turned and locked eyes with Alice. His normally ocean-eyes were faded with heavy purple bags under them. His face was thinner, making his cheekbones stick out further. Alice was positive that his pale hands were trembling just slightly. This was the Loki that had just escaped abuse and torture and Alice was terrified.

“This is a face I have yet to encounter.” Loki smirked as he turned fully towards her. His armor was thick as he shuffled closer to the girl. Loki’s smirk left his face, the expression of anger and hatred taking its place. “Have you come to try and take me down, little one?”

“No.” Alice admitted. She had no intention of hurting him. “I don’t want to fight you.”

“Everyone wants to fight me.” Loki chuckled as he twirled his scepter around. He locked eyes with the shaking girl and scanned down her body. Pretty little thing, she was. He could use her nicely. 

“Not me. I’m just here to talk.” Alice raised her hands up in defense as Loki stalked closer to her. He shook his head as he started to circle her. She could feel his chilly breath on her neck and it brought tears to her eyes. This wasn’t her sweet, gentle Loki. This was someone who wanted to hurt her. She knew that her Loki was inside this shell of a man. She just needed to bring him out.

“Talking is for the weak.” Loki shrugged as he stood directly in front of her. Alice had to stop herself from reaching out and running her fingers down Loki’s cheeks and pressing her lips to his. She loved this man so much but she couldn’t be weak with him. Not now, at least.

“Please, just let me say what I need to say.” Alice shut her eyes momentarily. She needed to look away from him before she got too lost in his gaze. “This is going to sound absolutely insane but I’m from the future. I’m friends with your brother…”

Loki’s hand wrapped around Alice’s throat before she could finish. She gasped for air as she clawed at his cold hands, trying to pry them away. Loki growled as he brought his face mere inches from hers.

“He’s not my brother!” Loki yelled. His grip tightened on her gentle neck. “I knew you were here for a fight. All of those pathetic mortals are. Well, girl, you’ll get exactly what you wanted.” 

Loki threw Alice backwards. She slid across the floor with a groan. Alice brushed her fingers over her swollen throat as she watched Loki angrily approach her. She got up as fast as she could, ignoring the burning pain in her chest. She didn’t want to do this but she had to. She needed to break him down enough for her to get to him. 

Alice ignited her hands and flung a ball of flames directly at Loki. He used his scepter to pierce through the incoming fire with a smirk.

“So you have powers? You will be quite useful in my army.” Loki purred as he jumped towards her. Alice rolled out of the way and ignited the end of his cape. Loki growled as he put the flames out. While he was distracted, Alice ran around him and kicked him in the back of the knees, making the god fall to the ground. She jumped onto his shoulders and pressed her hands to the side of his neck.

“Listen to me!” Alice growled as she began to heat up her hands. Loki grabbed her arm and threw her off. Alice landed on her knee and slid across the floor.

“I have no interest in listening to insolent girls like you.” Loki went to place his scepter against Alice’s chest. She quickly shot her hands up and splashed a tidal wave of water into his face. Loki stepped back, choking on the liquid as Alice hopped up. She conjured up a ring of flames around Loki, surrounding him with heat and intensity. Loki glared at his fiery cage as she stepped in front of him.

“Please.” Alice pleaded with her eyes. For a second, she saw the glassiness in Loki’s eyes fade away as if he was trying to pull through the hold that the titan had on him, but it was gone just as fast as it came. Loki pointed his scepter at Alice and shot out a beam of energy, sending Alice flying back onto the ground. She hit her head and let out a sharp cry. The flames around Loki fell to ash as he walked over to her. He placed one heavy boot on her stomach, causing Alice is let out a yelp in pain.

“I will greatly enjoy seeing you in my army.” Loki smirked. He tilted his scepter down towards Alice’s chest. He watched the tears leak out of Alice’s eyes as she let out a sob.

“It’s okay. I trust you.” Alice whispered. Loki paused. He cocked his head to the side and squinted his eyes in confusion.

“What?” Loki asked. Alice nodded quickly as her tears fell over her cheeks and landed on the building.

“I trust you, Loki. I always have.” Alice admitted. She stared into Loki’s eyes. They were full of confusion, hesitation, and…familiarity? Alice could see that her simple words were getting to him. “Even now. Even with Thanos in your head. I trust you.”

“How do you know about him?” Loki growled, stepping harder on Alice’s abdomen. He dangled the scepter above her chest menacingly as if he was reminding her that he still had the upper hand. She took in a shaky breath. She kept her eyes trained on his. She needed him to know that everything she said was true.

“I told you. I’m from the future.” Alice licked her lips as she watched his head tilt to the side. “My name is Alice and I’m from a future where you lose. You go back to Asgard and Odin sends you back to Earth to serve out your punishment in Stark’s cells. A lot of shit goes down and then…you meet me. I visit your cell every day and I’m fucking afraid of you but I trust you. Eventually, you trust me too. I get you out of your cell and you even join the Avengers. One day, you tell me you love me.”

“Impossible. I could never love a mortal.” Loki made a face that showed his disgust in what Alice said. She laughed and nodded. Loki’s heart warmed ever so slightly at the sound of her gentle laughter. He blinked a few times as he looked into her green eyes. 

“I thought the same thing, but you did. We loved each other so much.” Alice smiled softly as her tears slowed down. She was looking at a version of the man she was in love with, telling him how much he loved her. It was surreal but it was…comforting. “You saved my life. You saved it a lot actually. Then, Odin forced us to go to Asgard. He kept us there against our will but we were happy. You even proposed to me.”

“I would never!” Loki hissed. Alice lifted her hand from her side. It trembled as she gripped the necklace around her neck. She lifted the locket up and showed Loki. He gasped and stumbled backwards. Alice stood up carefully. “How did you get that?”

“I told you, you proposed to me. You gave it to me.” Alice clicked the button on the side to open up the charm and reveal the glimmering star inside. 

Loki carefully took a few steps forward. His scepter dangled at his side as he placed his fingers underneath the necklace. He ran his thumb over the golden charm as he looked up into Alice’s eyes.

“You must be lying.” Loki mumbled. Alice hesitantly reached up and placed her hand on Loki’s cheek. He froze under her touch but relaxed as she ran her thumb back and forth over the sweaty skin.

“You’re the god of lies. You tell me if I’m lying or not.” Alice said softly. Loki closed the locket and shut his eyes. His head was clearer when this girl was touching him. He fluttered his eyes open and felt…calm. He looked at her and knew that somehow, he could trust her. Her lips curved into the slightest of smiles as she realized the recognition he was beginning to feel.

“You’re telling the truth. I can feel it.” Loki grumbled. He shook his head as Alice’s hand fell back to her side. He ran a hand over his face. “I can’t believe this.”

“I know it seems crazy but Loki, you need to listen to me.” Alice took another step closer to him. “The future I’m from ends terribly. Frigga, Odin, and so many Asgardians are killed by Evig. I was killed by him too until Lady Sif brought me back to life.” 

Alice slowly lifted the bottom of her shirt up to reveal the long, ugly scar that tainted her skin from Evig’s sword. Loki looked down at the mark with disbelief. He let his fingers move forward to brush over the sensitive skin, causing a chill to rush down Alice’s spine. He looked back up into her eyes, silently willing her to continue.

“You didn’t know that Sif used the spell to bring me back to life. You went on a voyage with Thor to bring the rest of the Asgardians home when your ship was caught by Thanos. Then, he killed you. He kills half the universe.” Alice said as she let her shirt fall back down.

“He succeeds?” Loki questioned. Alice nodded eagerly. She could see the haze in his eyes fading away as more of his clarity washed over him.

“Yes he does. That’s why I’m here.” Alice watched a range of expressions flash across Loki’s face. “I’m working with the Avengers to come back and get you on our side earlier. You have two infinity stones in your possession. You have the power to defeat him. Nebula is here with me, ready to help you kill the man who tortured you for so long.”

“Nebula’s here?” Loki’s eyebrows raised. “This makes no sense but…I trust you.”

“That’s all I need you to do.” Alice looked down at her watch. It told her that she only had a few more minutes left to jump back. She turned back to Loki and reached forward to take his hands. He jumped back at her touch but she continued to hold them. “Fight with us. Fight with me.”

“Somewhere along the line, you said I fell in love with you. I don’t know why and I don’t know how that happened but it doesn’t seem all that impossible, perhaps.” Loki smirked as he ran his thumbs over the backs of her hands. “You do have my necklace after all. I will fight by your side, but not because I want to be part of your team. It’s because I refuse to let that evil man abuse me for any longer.”

Loki whipped around as two Iron Man suits flew up to the roof. The masks opened to reveal Tony from Alice’s timeline and the Tony from New York. Alice’s Tony smirked and nodded towards Loki.

“Fantastic. It looks like we’ve got another team member. Let’s go then!” Alice’s Tony called out as he turned around and flew towards the wormhole. Loki turned to Alice and pressed his lips into a tight line. Alice looked down at his lips and felt the desire to kiss him. It had been so long. Loki simply nodded at her.

“If all you say is true, then you truly must have loved me to go through all this trouble. Admittedly, I must have been lucky to love you.” Loki mumbled before he turned towards Tony. The Iron Man nodded at him and the two of them ran over to the tesseract. 

“Alice! Get down here! We need to get back!” Alice heard Scott call into her ear piece. Alice took one last look at Loki, who was now staring into the glowing glare of the tesseract. She smiled softly before propelling herself off the building. When she landed on the ground, she found Scott, Tony, and Steve huddling together.

“Where’s Nebula?” Alice asked. Steve pointed up to the sky. Nebula had taken over a Chitauri riding vehicle and was riding her way into the sky.

“She’s staying here. She needs to kill Thanos.” Steve said. Tony pressed his finger to his ear piece and began to speak.

“Hey, other me, once you pull out that tesseract, you’ll only have a few moments to fly up into that wormhole before it closes. You need to time it perfectly.” Tony said. Alice watched the sky as the projection from the tesseract disappeared. The wormhole in the sky began to close. Alice squinted her eyes as she saw Loki flying up into the sky. He disappeared through the wormhole as it shut behind him.

“Loki!” Alice screamed, though he was already gone. Steve tightened his hold on her.

“We need to go!” Steve yelled as he watched the final moments tick down on their watches.

“But what if we failed?” Alice looked into Steve’s perfect blue eyes. Steve brushed some of her hair back behind her ear.

“Then we try again.” Alice nodded as she raised her wrist. She stared at the watch as everyone begin to press the buttons on theirs to send them back.

Alice watched the destroyed New York fade away. Her tunnel vision could see the Chitauri armies collapsing to death on the ground and her heart picked up speed. The last thing she saw was the sky tremble before her vision faded to black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pardon the cliffhanger (you know I love them a bit too much). This chapter was a bit crazy! Time travel, Alice meets New York!Loki, all that jazz. Loki doesn't even know Alice and yet he's able to trust her. Some women are just THAT powerful clearly.
> 
> Anyway, what do you guys think will happen? Did they succeed? If they did, will everyone come back to the future alive? Let me know!
> 
> P.S. we only have ONE chapter left after this with a possible epilogue if you guys want that. I've been writing this fic for months so I'm shocked its already here. Yet, there may be new stories in store coming soon (who knows?). If you have any suggestions for things you want to see in future stories, just let me know and I'll do my best to write them!


	48. This is Forever*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: NSFW content!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND HERE IT IS, THE FINAL CHAPTER! I hope you guys enjoy! An epilogue may or may not be coming ;) Comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated, thank you for reading!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 4819

When Alice opened her eyes, she was standing in the middle of a pristine kitchen. She began to recognize it as the kitchen on the second floor of Stark Tower. It was pretty much the same as she remembered it, but it was brighter. Alice turned around and came face to face with Tony. His hair wasn’t gray anymore. His lips parted as he looked at her, registering what happened. Tony looked over at the calendar on the wall and saw they were back in the year they were supposed to be in.

“We made it back.” Alice whispered. She glanced down and noticed that her hair wasn’t as long as before. It was cut to just below her shoulders. Alice looked down at her hands and saw that her engagement ring wasn’t there. Her hands flew to her neck and felt that her necklace wasn’t there either. Alice’s heart stopped as she realized what this meant. Did she jump forward into a future where Loki didn’t love her? Did he even know her? Was he even alive?

A crash from behind the pair interrupted Alice’s momentary panic. Tony and Alice turned their head to see the refrigerator door swung open.

“Oh, shit!” A voice came from behind the door. The door swung closed to reveal the owner of the voice.

Peter.

The boy who had disappeared four years ago on Titan was standing here in the kitchen. His eyes were wide and his hands were shaking just a bit from the way Alice and Tony were staring at him. They couldn’t help it though. He was here, he was alive. That was worth the shocked expressions coming his way.

“Mr. Stark, I kind of dropped your leftovers all over the floor. I’m so sorry!” Peter squealed. Tony’s eyes widened in a cartoonish manner as he ran forward and enveloped the young boy into his arms. Tony was shaking from the tears he was releasing. Alice’s hands were trembling as she watched Peter’s eyes squint in confusion. “Mr. Stark, it was just some leftovers! I’ll order more, don’t be upset!”

“Shut up, kid. I’m so happy you’re here.” Tony said. Alice remembered what Scott had told them before they jumped back to New York. Those who didn’t jump back in time wouldn’t remember what happened to them. 

Alice spun on her heel and began to run through the building, keeping her eyes out for anyone she could find. She ran up the stairs, passing by Natasha and Bruce. She wrapped both of them in a tight hug before making her journey through the floor. Alice whipped her head around to see Steve and Bucky hugging in one of the living rooms. Steve winked at Alice as she made her way through the halls. 

When Alice turned another corner, she bumped into Sam and Rhodey. Alice squealed and hugged both men tightly, not daring to let go. When she finally pulled away, she looked between the two men eagerly. Before they could say anything, Alice bolted off in another direction. She knew where she needed to head to.

Alice busted through her room with her heart pounding in her chest. The space was eerily quiet as she glided across the floor like a ghost. She looked around the room, scanning for any signal that Loki was there. When she found no sign of him, Alice felt her heart drop. Maybe this was a future where Loki wasn’t hers. Alice felt her chest constricting at the thought of her own personal mission failing.

Did Loki die trying to kill Thanos? What happened to Nebula? Even if they did succeed, did Loki survive trying to get home? What was home to him? Did he go back to Asgard? Did Odin punish him? Where was he? Alice felt herself starting to panic at the thought of living without the man she loved, not knowing where he was or if he was okay. She shut her eyes, willing the panic to go away.

“My rose.”

Alice spun around to see Loki standing in the doorway of the bathroom. His arms were folded behind his back. He was adorned in a tailored suit as he looked at her with pure fondness. A small, fond smile danced on his face as he stared at the girl he had once lost. Alice felt as if she was running in slow motion as she propelled herself into his arms. She jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

She ran her hands all over him as she kissed him. He tasted so good, so real. He groaned against her as he cupped her ass to hold her up. Alice pushed herself closer to him, tangling her hands in his silky black hair. When she pulled away, there were tears streaming down both of their faces.

“You did it, darling.” Loki purred as he rubbed his nose against her cheek like a cat would. He smiled against her warm skin. “You saved us.”

“How…how do you know that?” Alice whispered. Loki looked up into her eyes and she felt her knees shake. It had been so long since she was here with him. “Scott said you wouldn’t remember what happened.”

“I’m a god, my love. I know more than these mortals think I do.” Loki chuckled. He ran a hand down Alice’s thigh and felt her shake under his touch. Alice leaned forward and rested her forehead against Loki’s.

“This is another dream. This isn’t real.” Alice began to cry, suddenly thinking that this couldn’t be happening. All of this mess, the time jump, New York, it was just a dream her stressed out mind had conjured up. Loki shook his head and cupped Alice’s cheek. He forced her to look at him. His ocean eyes sparkled as he watched her lips tremble. He leaned in and placed a soft, loving kiss to her lips with a smile.

“It is so very real, my rose. And I have missed you so fiercely.” Loki kissed her again. Alice tightened her hold on him as he carried her over to the bed. He placed her down gently, running his hands up her waist slowly. “I should have never let you leave my side on Kilron.”

Loki paused for a moment as he stared at her. In this world, their timeline should be different. He shouldn’t remember being the way Alice breathed her last breath in his arms. But, as he had told her, he was a god. This timeline was new and he had every memory from it, yet, he could still feel his other self. Some part of him that was dead and cold and distant was still floating in his mind. He shuddered at the memories that plagued him from his first timeline. Alice must have noticed, she always did. She ran her hands over his cheeks and swept away the tears that were unconsciously streaming down Loki’s cheeks.

“I’m here.” Alice whispered. Loki pressed his lips into a tight line as he looked down at her. 

“I wish I didn’t remember what happened to us before. I wish I could only live with the memories of this timeline.” Loki admitted. “It has been so peaceful.”

“Do you love me on this timeline?” Alice tangled her hands in Loki’s hair. Part of her worried that he was using these loving words towards her just because he didn’t want to hurt her. But then, Loki pulled her left hand from his hair. He kissed every knuckle before pulling her engagement ring out from his pocket.

“I will love you eternally on every and any timeline.” Loki held the ring up, not daring to slip it onto Alice’s finger yet. “I intended to do this to you quite soon, but after gaining these memories from my previous timeline, I can’t help but present this to you now. Alice, my sweet Alice. Will you marry me?”

“Yes!” Alice barely got the word out through her tears. Loki licked his lips, letting his beautiful smile flash at her as he slipped the diamond ring onto her finger. Alice wiggled her fingers, admiring the way that the ring dazzled over her skin. Alice grabbed Loki’s tie and pulled him closer to her. “Now, make love to me, Loki. Show me what love feels like, again.”

Neither of them cared about what was happening in the tower. It didn’t matter right now. What mattered was that both of them were here, alive and well. They still loved each other on this timeline. Alice wasn’t sure what exactly her story was here and now. She was obviously an Avenger, since she showed up in this building when she jumped back. How Loki came to fall for her this time, she wasn’t sure. But for some reason, everything in her felt sure. He fell in love with her a second time, just as deeply as before. She would make sense of this all later. Right now, she wanted to feel the love that had been torn from her four years ago.

Loki kissed her with fever and passion. He kissed her, remembering how it felt to lose her. He was reassuring himself that this wouldn’t change and that Alice was safe with him. They didn’t need to worry about Thanos anymore, but he would tell her that later. Here, she was with him again. Her warm body was underneath his and her soft hands were pulling his suit jacket off and untying his tie. It was everything he wanted, she was everything he needed.

Loki pulled back to shrug his jacket off his arms and pull his tie off. He stared down at her, watching the way she was panting and flushed the sweetest apple red color. He couldn’t wait any longer for this. He waved his hands, and their clothes disappeared. Alice blushed even harder and moved her hands to cover her chest. When Loki lifted a dark eyebrow, Alice realized what she had done.

“It’s been years since I’ve done this.” Alice admitted under her breath. “It feels like the first time, again.”

“I love you.” Loki simply said as he wrapped his fingers in hers. The way he looked at her was unparalleled. His entire heart was bursting with love for this woman that stole his heart more than once. He pressed a kiss to Alice’s warm chest, moving his mouth down to her breasts and blowing cool breaths of air over her nipples. The little pink buds peaked at the contact, causing Alice to arch her back. Everything was so sensitive after not being touched for so long. So, when Loki licked tiny stripes over her nipples, Alice felt her arousal warm her center so much that she was sure she could hit her climax right then and there.

Loki kissed his way down Alice’s stomach. His lips ghosted over her waistline, admiring the smooth skin that covered her abdomen. Loki moved one of his hands to brush over her stomach with a loving smile.

“No more scar.” Loki said as he pressed his fingertips into her skin. Alice looked down and gasped at the fact that the gigantic scar that Evig’s sword had left on her was gone. Clearly, Alice never had a run in with the ancient monster on this timeline. 

Loki finally reached Alice’s soaked center. He chuckled at the sight of her obvious arousal. Loki situated himself between her thighs and took a long lick up her glistening folds. Alice yelped and grabbed Loki’s hair. A sense of déjà vu washed through her as she looked at her diamond ring sparkling against his dark, silky hair. It was just like the vision she had of him in their bed on Kilron. A shiver ran through her spine as he continued to lap at her desperately. Alice wanted to throw her head back but she couldn’t take her eyes off him. He was so beautiful. He was alive. That was enough of a reason to lock her eyes onto his sinful ministrations. 

“It’s been so long.” Alice sighed happily as he circled her clit with his deathly tongue. Loki hummed against her as he inserted a finger into her tight hole. Alice groaned at the tugging sensation she felt in her gut. She couldn’t hop off the edge just yet. She needed more of him and she wanted her first time cumming in years to be on his cock.

“You’re so beautiful.” Loki gasped as he inserted a second finger into her, pumping them eagerly. He wanted to be gentle with her but he couldn’t help it. He was feeling every emotion of loss, remorse, and anger he had felt after losing her. This was love, yes, but this was desperation. This was the pure need and desire of lovers who were deprived for far too long. Based on the way Alice was bucking her hips down to engulf more of his fingers and feel more of his tongue, she was feeling this same sense of craving as he was.

“I, I don’t want to c-cum. I w-want to feel your cock first.” Alice moaned with her eyes fluttering shut. Loki pressed one final kiss to her clit before taking his fingers out of her. She whimpered at the loss, but found her eyes widening as she watched Loki clean his fingers with his tongue. He shut his eyes as he lapped up her taste. He groaned pleasantly as his tongue swiveled around his fingers. When he opened his eyes, he noticed Alice’s own were blown wide with desire. 

Before Loki could lean back over her again, Alice pushed him onto his back. Loki’s eyebrows perked up as Alice took his cock into her hand. She pumped his hardness excitedly as she took the tip into her mouth. Loki groaned and wrapped his long fingers in Alice’s hair. She loved the way he felt hot and heavy on her tongue as she went down deeper on him. It was a feeling she craved more than she wanted to admit.

“My beautiful little girl. You look so sinful with my cock between your lips.” Loki tightened his hold on Alice’s hair, earning a moan from the eager girl. Loki bit his lip as she came back to the tip, licking gently around the head and lapping him up before going back down. He felt himself hit the back of her throat and he was sure that he wouldn’t last much longer if she continued on the way she was. “I cannot wait to be inside you, darling. Though I’ve fucked you many times in this timeline, it’s like I’m a new man now. I fear I feel quite deprived of that tight, wet heat between your legs. I am so eager to see the way your back arches for me. I cannot wait to hear the little moans escape those pink lips. Let me be inside you now. Honor me with this.”

Alice popped off of his cock with a delightful smirk. She licked her lips as she continued to pump him lazily. Alice swung her leg over his hip and rubbed the tip of his cock against her. Loki let his head rest back against the pillows as he watched Alice gasp above him. She was a vision and his heart filled with passion, love, and lust as he stared into her dilated green eyes. Loki let his hands rest on her hips as she pushed him into her, her lips falling open to reveal the most beautiful moan he had ever heard.

“So tight.” Loki growled as Alice sank down on him. He gripped her hips tighter, willing himself to stay calm. Alice whimpered as she finally rested fully on top of her. Her chest was heaving as she leaned forward to kiss Loki. “Take your time, my love. This is all about you.” He whispered to her. Alice began rolling her hips back and forth, eager to feel him against her every wall.

She forgot how big he really was. As she bounced on top of him, the distant yet familiar feeling of being filled by his cock hit her. Her hands were flat on his chest as she rode him home. His hands were gripping her hard enough to leave bruises along her hip bones but she didn’t care. She wanted the bruises and the soreness. It was a physical reminder that he was making love to her again.

Alice tossed her head back as she leaned back more. His cock was hitting that perfect spot inside of her. Her thighs were trembling as she did her best to pleasure him. Loki groaned, his eyes just barely open as she grinded against him. Alice’s legs were tired and she needed more. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Loki’s lips.

“Flip me over and fuck me, sir.” Alice whispered in Loki’s ear. She didn’t need to tell him twice. Loki flipped her over within a second, his cock never leaving her warmth. Loki gripped one of her legs and tossed it over his shoulder and began his job at pummeling into her. Alice screamed as he hit her pleasure point perfectly at this angle. He was grunting above her, whispering dirty promises of all the things he planned to do with her.

“Forever is ours now, darling. I swear that I will fill every day with pleasure for you. Not a day will pass where I don’t bring you to the edge and fill you up. I live to give you this sweet relief, my love.” Loki leaned down and whispered to her. Alice felt tears in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around his neck, digging her nails into his pale back.

“I love you.” Alice choked out between moans. Her head fell back, leaving the expanse of skin open to Loki’s oral attacks. He nipped her, kissed her. He wanted everyone to know that even now, she was still his. She would always be his.

Alice felt that hot coil burning up inside her stomach at his words. His lips ghosted over her neck, sucking a bruise just under her ear. His hips were thrusting like a maniac, his cock rubbing every inch of inside of her. It was the best feeling in the universe, they were both sure of it. Loki’s thrusts were becoming sloppy and harsh, signaling that he was ready to release into her. 

“Cum for me baby. Give me your pleasure. Show me how good I make you feel.” Loki growled as he fucked into her desperately. Alice let out a beautiful scream as her hole tightened around Loki’s cock, sending her over the edge. Her nerves felt like they were burning as she let her first orgasm in years take her over. Alice gripped at the sheets as she felt Loki pump into her a few more times before he released inside of her, filling her to the brim with his cum. Loki fucked her through their orgasms, panting at the pleasure he had felt from her. When he pulled out of her, Alice’s legs fell to the bed with a gentle thud as she let her eyes close. 

As always, Loki cleaned her up, pressing kisses all across her body as she came to her senses. She was sensitive everywhere but it felt so good. She wouldn’t trade this for anything in the world. When Loki crawled back up to her face, she wrapped her arms around him, kissing him slowly. Loki flipped them over so she was above him. He flicked his fingers and a warm blanket appeared over their nude bodies, wrapping them together as one.

“I am so proud of you.” Loki mumbled as he ran his fingers through her hair. Alice blushed and leaned against his cool skin. 

“Tell me about this timeline. None of it makes sense to me.” Alice admitted as she continued to catch her breath. Loki chuckled and continued to brush through her hair. She looked so beautiful. He would never stop thinking about how beautiful she is.

“The way it feels to me is weird. It’s like, the moment you returned, I was hit with all of these memories of a different time. I realized when I laid my eyes on you that they were memories from when we lived in our other timeline. Thor will feel the same thing due to his godly being, I’m sure.” Loki explained. Alice nodded slowly but paused.

“Wait, where is Thor? Is he okay?” Alice asked with wide eyes. Loki smiled and nodded.

“Yes, he is just fine. He still has his little hammer. He’s currently on Asgard.” Alice tilted her head in confusion. She was happy that Thor was alive and well but…on Asgard?

“I thought Asgard was destroyed?” Alice questioned. Loki laughed and wrapped his arms around Alice, hugging her close to his cold body. 

“On your old timeline it was. On this one, it was never destroyed. Frigga and Odin are still alive. Heimdall, Sif, and the Warriors Three are all alive.” Loki said with a smile that reached from ear to ear. Alice gasped and hugged Loki. For what reason, she wasn’t sure. She just needed to hug him. He didn’t mind.

“Tell me how we met.” Alice said as she buried her head into Loki’s neck. Loki smiled and shut his eyes. He thought back to the first moment he laid on his eyes on this timeline’s Alice.

“Nebula and I killed Thanos and all his children. Afterwards, I used the tesseract to transport myself back to Earth where I was welcomed back by the Avengers. Thor and I went back to Asgard where, though I was welcomed at first with a bit of hostility, I was eventually treated as a hero because of the work I did to kill the mad titan. I was given permission to travel wherever I pleased, so I chose to come back to Earth for a bit.” Loki turned his head so he could kiss Alice on her nose, earning a giggle from his beautiful girl. “I was determined to find you. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I knew this girl who claimed to be my betrothed in New York. Luckily, your Tony told that Tony where to find you before he came back to the future. Tony and I went to find you, and when we did, you trusted me. We brought you back to the Tower and it just kind of happened from there.”

Alice closed her eyes and she could see it. The memories were shattered like a broken mirror, but she could still make out bits and pieces of a life that was hers, but didn’t belong to her. Loki standing in the forest, a smooth black suit covering his pale chest. His long fingers reaching out towards Alice, beckoning her to trust him. She could see her first time making love to him was beside a fire this time. A memory flashed past her closed eyelids and she saw herself standing on top of the Empire State Building, lips locked with Loki as it began to pour chilly rain. These memories were her, but they felt foreign and distant. When Alice opened her eyes again, she could tell Loki knew what she was seeing.

Alice hummed against Loki’s cool skin, somehow excited by the new memories she had stored in the back of her brain. But then, a frown presented itself onto her face. Loki had found her in the forest, meaning she escaped the Organization in some way. “Is the Organization still around?”

“No, darling. I made sure to take care of them a long time ago.” Loki rubbed his hands along Alice’s small back. 

“So those children from California were never captured? I was never recaptured?” Alice tilted her head, looking into Loki’s eyes. He shook his head with a gentle smile. “So it’s like that never happened, then?”

“A lot of things never happened.” Loki held Alice’s hand in his, admiring the way their fingers fit together perfectly. “I kept my scepter, so Hydra never experimented on Wanda and her brother. We found them and gave them their powers with their permission. Pietro is alive and well. We created Vision without Ultron. Tony and Steve never came into conflict with each other.”

“So things have been pretty peaceful around here?” Alice said with a smile. 

“Aside from a minor threat every now and then, yeah. It has been.” Loki leaned down and kissed Alice softly. She smiled against his lips, loving the way he felt against her. Loki pulled back and brushed some of her hair away from her face. 

“So what happens now?” Alice looked into Loki’s eyes. 

“I intend to make you my wife. Odin will grant you immortality. Then, as we always wished, you and I will live together in complete peace.” Loki rolled them over so he could kiss her. “Forever is ours, my love.”

“I like the way that sounds.” Alice said with a blush. She leaned up and kissed him. Warmth spread through her chest as she realized that this was everything she wanted in her life before. Safety, security, love. It was all here.

Loki had given her everything. Even on this timeline, he wanted her eternally. Maybe it had taken years to get here. Maybe there had been too much suffering along the way to say that it was a happy story. Yet, they made it. They would always make it together.

In this world, things weren’t completely coated with evil on the horizon. Thanos wasn’t coming. The stones were safe and so were they. In a different timeline, maybe Thanos had beaten Loki and Nebula in New York. Maybe Loki would have never met Alice. Maybe Alice was still a slave at the Organization. But that wasn’t this timeline.

In this timeline, Loki was looking at her with the same love he had always looked at her with. Here, he was loved deeply and widely. Yet, no one would love him with the same fierceness that Alice had loved him with all along. No matter what happened before, she loved him. She trusted him on top of Stark Tower, even when he had his scepter just inches away from her heart. She knew that he was in that shell of a man. In both timelines, she saved him.

Somewhere in the building, Steve and Bucky were holding each other. Sam and Rhodey were making bets on if Steve or Bucky would kiss the other first. Wanda and her brother were still testing our their relatively new powers. Vision and Bruce were creating endless paths of technology creations. Tony was pouring himself a drink as he listened to Peter babble about another day in Spanish class, where he did end up asking out that cute girl (Alice later found out her name was MJ and she was quite the beauty). Natasha and Clint were reminiscing about all their old adventures and about how dull the new ones were.

Somewhere in the world, T’Challa was sitting on his throne, watching Okoye and her warriors carry out a celebration for Shuri. They had opened themselves to the world and had become the most giving humanitarian country in the world, with Shuri leading the planet in technological advancements. Scott Lang was curled up on the couch, his girlfriend Hope to his left and his daughter snuggled between them. Doctor Stephen Strange was guarding his infinity stone, silently protecting the world with a watchful eye unlike anyone had ever seen before.

Somewhere in the universe, Rocket was watching with tears in his eyes as that tree friend of his grow up to an even bigger tree. Nebula was hugging her sister, begging her to never leave her side again. Their friends were watching them with confusion, not sure exactly why the two hardest members of their team were suddenly so soft.

But here, in this bedroom, Loki was holding Alice. He was placing soft kisses to her cheeks and wiping away her tears of happiness with his chilly thumbs. He was telling her how much he loved her. He was pushing away the feelings of loss and guilt he felt as he memorized the patterns of her skin. She was here, and that was what mattered. Alice leaned into his touch, admiring the way his eyes glistened under the soft lamp lights they had turned on. Ocean eyes. Beautiful, ocean eyes. She whispered to him that she wanted to marry him soon. Maybe even that night. She just wanted to be his. Loki promised her that even if they waited centuries to be married, she would still be his for the rest of forever.

And for Alice, that promise was all she needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow so we really did it. We finally hit the end of this fic. I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who read this fic and shared it with others. This was a labor of love that took me months to write so your feedback means the world to me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and I'm positive that this isn't the last you'll see from me (perhaps there's some new fics I have in the making). Again, if you want an epilogue let me know and I'll be sure to post one!
> 
> What was your favorite part of this fic? Is there anything special you want to see in the epilogue? Let me know!


	49. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND HERE WE ARE! The epilogue to Alice and Loki's story. Thank you to everyone who stuck it out and I hope you enjoy this last bit to their tale. Comments and kudos are always loved and appreciated, enjoy!
> 
> Chapter Word Count: 3225

“Hurry! We have only a few minutes until the ceremony begins!”

“Is her hair done?”

“How is the dress, honey?”

“Please don’t start crying! You’re going to mess up your make up!”

It was an understatement to say that buzz around the room was overwhelming. Maids and stylists filtered in one door and out the other, creating a bustle more insane than Grand Central Station. However, it was just what Alice expected. So, in truth, she was feeling quite fine about the noise and energy.

A woman was supposed to expect people to fuss over her on her wedding day. Apparently, when said woman is getting married to a prince, the fuss is even greater. There wasn’t a single second that had passed where someone wasn’t attending to Alice and checking on her. Quite frankly, a few moments of silence were all she needed right now.

Alice had been cooped up in Loki’s elegant palace room since the night prior. Asgardians seemed to uphold similar traditions to Earth without intending to, since Alice and Loki were strictly forbidden to see each other on the day they were meant to wed. Loki gave her his room, knowing that she would be more comfortable surrounded by things familiar to her. It was true that feeling Loki’s sheets on her body and smelling his wintery scent on his pillow helped calm her down. Still, Alice spent the night tossing and turning, aching for the feeling of Loki’s skin beside her. In between the sheets, Alice wept tears of happiness and sadness. Sadness due to the lack of her lover, but happiness due to the knowledge that she would soon seal her promise of forever with Loki. It had her heart racing every time she thought about it.

When the first maid burst into her room in the morning to feed her and begin preparing her for the “big ceremony”, Alice did her best to wipe away the stains of her emotional night from her cheeks. The maid scolded her for the heavy bags under her eyes, but softened when Alice admitted it wasn’t because of nerves but because of the lack of Loki’s presence.

Since that moment, there had been little to no silence in the room at any given time. But, despite all that, Alice was ready. Her leg was shaking under her perfectly white dress as she counted down the moments until she crossed the palace and walked up the aisle to her future husband.

Alice chewed on her pink lip as a stylist fixed the bride’s hair for the umpteenth time. Was Loki getting this same treatment? Was he having doubts? Was he getting drunk? Alice would be a liar if she didn’t admit to having several glasses of champagne beforehand in order to calm the impatience. Alice had spoken to Thor briefly in the morning. He assured her Loki was just as excited as she was (Thor even pecked Alice on the cheek as a gift from Loki). Yet, she couldn’t help but be utterly nervous over the idea of not being able to see her lover before it was too late to turn around. She wasn’t afraid of forever, but was the god?

“Hey! Let me through! I’m the one walking the bride down the aisle and I’m just here to collect her, relax!” Alice stood from her chair as she heard Tony’s voice filter through the room. She smiled fondly and gestured for the maids to let him in. As Tony rounded the corner, he stopped, staring at Alice with tears in his eyes. “Oh, Alice.”

“Tony!” Alice squealed, thankful that a familiar face was finally here. He approached her, hugging her as if she was the gentlest piece of glass that would shatter if his fingers pressed her too hard. When he pulled away, his eyes were definitely red from his emotions.

“You look stunning, kid.” Tony smiled. Alice blushed as she glanced down at her dress. It was an elegant white ball gown with a green sash wrapped around her center. The sleeves fell to her elbows, hanging down slightly from the bone. If one was to squint just hard enough, they would be able to see the golden specks hiding in the silky layers. It was a mixture of Asgardian and Earthly culture and it was positively stunning. Tony pressed a hand to his forehead and let out a cynical laugh. “Loki is a lucky man.”

“We’re both lucky.” Alice smiled at Tony. She reached up to wipe a stray tear away from Tony’s cheek. “Tony, I just wanted to say thank you for everything.”

“Alice you’ve already thanked me, before.” Tony chuckled. Alice shook her head with a faint smile still on her lips.

“No, I mean I really need to thank you.” Alice folded her hands over the front of her dress. “You saved my life. You never lost hope in me. You’re the reason that Loki and I are able to get married today. Even when he pissed you off, you still believed in him and his goodness. Thank you.”

Tony opened his arms and pulled the bride into another hug. For a moment, the room was dead silent. It calmed Alice down as she rested her head against Tony’s suit-covered chest. When they finally pulled away, Tony simply nodded. She knew that if he tried to open his lips to speak, he would just end up crying again. 

“Princess Alice, it’s time.” Sif said from the doorway. Alice turned to the gentle warrior and nodded eagerly. Tony’s arm hooked into hers, ready to lead her into her future.

 

**

 

Loki was not one to be nervous. Everything that he had ever been through was braced with confidence and certainty. Getting married, however, was never something that Loki would have intended. Yet, here he was, standing at the foot of an altar, anxiously awaiting the arrival of his bride.

“She’s on her way, brother.” Thor said from beside him. Loki nodded as he scanned over the room. Beings from the realms gathered to celebrate the union of Loki and his beautiful princess. Even the Avengers made the journey through the bifrost to commemorate the celebration. They stared at him with excited and warming smiles, but Loki was still unnerved.

“All rise for the bride, Princess Alice of Midgard.” Odin bellowed to the room. Loki watched as everyone stood and faced the golden doors at the back of the room. He watched the doors open, and within an instant, his heart stopped.

She was glorious as she glided down the aisle like an angel. Her white dress carried behind her while her veil glazed over the front of her face. Still, Loki watched her green eyes meet his. Loki bit his lip, trying to stop himself from sobbing like a child, but when he saw her pink lips curl up into that lovely smile, he couldn’t help but let a stray tear slide down his cheek.

When Alice and Tony finally reached the altar, Tony held out Alice’s hand to place in it Loki’s. Before he merged them together, however, Tony raised a questioning eyebrow at Loki.

“You know I’ll still kill you if you ever hurt her.” Tony mumbled with a smile, praying that no one could hear him. Loki chuckled and nodded innocently.

“I know. Thank you.” Loki smirked. Tony patted Loki on the shoulder, earning a few gasps from the Asgardians. Loki rolled his eyes but laughed. Tony slowly slid Alice’s hand into Loki’s, giving her over the god. “My rose.”

“My prince.” Alice whispered. Her cheeks burned a fiery red as Loki brought her up to the altar. They turned to Odin, signaling they were ready for this to begin.

Throughout the entire ceremony, Alice was staring directly into Loki’s eyes. The ceremony was quite different than one on Earth and Alice couldn’t understand half of what was being said, but she didn’t care. She spoke when she needed to and went through the motions of the foreign ceremony. Throughout the entire event, Loki was looking at her like she was the most precious thing he had ever seen, and in truth, she was. He held her hands tightly, rubbing his thumbs along the backs of her hands with sincerity. 

“And now, Loki of Asgard and Alice of Midgard will seal their union with a kiss.” Odin announced. Alice’s eyes widened as she realized it was time. Loki stepped forward and lifted her veil from in front of her face. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against him, immediately pressing his lips to hers.

Alice knew she was supposed to be cordial. She was a princess, after all. Yet, in that moment, all the eyes of the guests disappeared. Her arms wrapped around Loki’s neck and pulled him in closer. Loki groaned into her mouth as she kissed him. They could faintly hear Odin clearing his throat and the crowd cheering, but none of that mattered. They were finally married.

When they pulled away, Loki let out a happy laugh in his breathless state. He ran his thumbs along Alice’s cheeks and pressed another kiss to her forehead. “My wife.”

“My husband.” The words felt foreign on Alice’s tongue but she knew she could get used to it. She had waited years for this, after all. Odin waved his hands for everyone to be silent. The crowd hushed immediately as he signaled for the newly-wed couple to turn to him.

“In your union with Prince Loki, you have officially become a true princess of Asgard.” Odin announced. His eye looked down at Alice and for the first time since she met the scary god, she swore she could see him looking at her with some sort of fondness. “Because it will become your duty to care for the people of the realms, you are to be graced with the gift of an Asgardian’s lifespan.”

Odin turned to pick up a chalice full of a purple liquid. He held the chalice up, mumbled a few words in an ancient language, then proceeded to hand the cup down to Alice. She gratefully accepted the chalice.

“Your lifespan will be increased to that of our own. You will have the strength of a god and the power of one as well. You will protect and serve the nine realms with your life. Do you agree to these terms?” Odin asked with a raised eyebrow. She knew this was part of the deal. A lifespan worth thousands of years would not come free. Odin bargained with her long ago. If she was to become Loki’s partner for life, she would also become Asgard’s protector for life. It was something Alice didn’t mind doing as long as she was able to keep Loki by her side. Looking up into Odin’s crystal clear eye, Alice nodded eagerly.

“Yes, Allfather. I do.” Alice smiled. Odin smirked and looked back up to the anxious crowd. Everyone was on the edge of their seats waiting to see the princess become their newest leader.

“Then, Princess Alice, sip from the Chalice of Eternity, and embrace the life bestowed upon you today.” Odin said strongly. 

Alice locked eyes with Loki as he nodded at her with encouragement. She smiled as she lifted the cup to her lips. She took a large sip of the purple liquid and immediately felt a tingle within her stomach. Odin gestured for her to finish the drink, and once she did, her body began to glow a bright gold color. Everyone gasped as the sparkles washed over her and faded away with a sharp explosion. Alice looked to Loki and then to Odin with hope in her eyes. Odin smirked and nodded at the young girl.

“Welcome to the family, Princess Alice, Goddess of the Earth.”

 

**

 

The party for Loki and Alice was roaring with life. People danced and drank as if there was no tomorrow. All of the Avengers swarmed the room, charming the typically stuck-up Asgardians with their wit and powers. Everyone was enjoying themselves, and Alice couldn’t be happier.

“My wife.” Loki whispered as he brushed his lips along Alice’s neck. She giggled at his touch. They were sitting together at the head of a banquet table, simply enjoying one another’s company. After being apart for the day, they were touch deprived. “I will never get tired of saying that.”

“I love you.” Alice said with warmth in her cheeks. She swore that she had never blushed so many times in one day until today. Loki slid an arm around Alice and pulled her closer to him so he could kiss her. The feelings of their lips molding together would never get old. Every time he kissed her, it was like the first time. Her hands slid up to press against his cool cheeks, making sure that there was little to no space left between them. Loki groaned against her as he grew stiff in his trousers. He wanted nothing more than to get his wife alone and make love to her until the sun rose.

“I love you, my goddess.” Loki smirked as he pulled away reluctantly. He admired the way her cheeks flushed as he scanned his eyes along her beautiful face. “Goddess of the Earth, how fitting.”

“It sounds better than Goddess of the Elements.” Alice cheekily rolled her eyes. She glanced across the room to see everyone smiling and laughing. Thor and Sif were engaging Steve and Bucky in a rousing discussion about war. Tony and Bruce were discussing science and magic with Frigga. Peter was being entertained by a very drunk but very excited Fandral. Everyone else was scattered around the room eating, drinking, and dancing.

“Is it everything you ever hoped for?” Loki asked, leaning in closer to her ear. Alice turned to him and folded her hand in his.

“Everything and more.” Alice pressed a kiss to Loki’s cheek. His arm tightened around her as he looked into her green eyes. Even after everything they had gone through, she still held that look of curiosity and hope in her eyes that was first there when Loki met her in his cell.

“We’ve come a long way, haven’t we?” Loki mumbled with a sense of distance in his voice. Alice pressed her hand to Loki’s cheek and offered him a warm smile. 

“We certainly have, my husband.” Alice tilted her head as she brushed her thumb along Loki’s chilly cheek. “We’ve been through imprisonment, kidnappings, more imprisonment, fleeing, death, time travel. The list goes on and on.” Alice stared into Loki’s eyes with a pause. She bit her lip as she ran her eyes over his beautiful features. He was everything she ever wanted and more. “And I wouldn’t change a single second of it all.”

“I love you, my wife.” Loki kissed her before picking up a glass of wine and raising it just above his chin. Alice picked her glass up and did the same. “Here’s to our finally perfect forever.”

“To forever.” Alice laughed as she clinked their glasses together. They sipped the sweet wine before returning their eyes to the party. Alice cleared her throat before turning to Loki. She placed her hands on his thighs, running them up and down the leather padding. “I have some news for you.”

Loki hummed as he placed his glass back onto the table. He leaned in closer to her and Alice could smell the wine on his breath. “What is it, my love?”

“I received a very special wedding gift today.” Alice smiled. She licked her lips as Loki ran a hand over her collarbones. Her heart fluttered at his touch and a feeling of warmth travelled down to her core. 

“Indulge me, princess.” Loki chuckled. Alice sat up straighter and leaned in slightly closer.

“Well, when you and Thor left to take shots with Steve and Bucky, your mother came up to me and offered me a present.” Alice moved one of her hands up to tangle in Loki’s deep black locks. Loki purred at the sensation and fluttered his eyes shut, but willed her to continue. “Your mother is a firm believer in the power of magic over science. She was able to reverse my powers being taken away from me, so she also believes she can reverse something else.”

“And what would that something else be?” Loki still had his eyes closed as he relished in the way Alice’s small fingers were dancing through his hair. Alice leaned in a bit closer and let a tiny smile overtake her.

“She believes she can give me the power to have children again.” 

Loki’s eyes shot open at Alice’s words. He could see the innocent smile on her rosy pink lips. Her eyes were watering slightly and he knew that this was no joke. Frigga was powerful, he knew that, but this would be incredible if she were able to alter the damaged anatomy of Alice. Loki leaned in closer with widened eyes.

“Are you serious?” Loki whispered. Alice nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck. Loki pulled her onto the lap, keeping their conversation as quiet as possible.

“Absolutely. Frigga said she would begin studying remedies and then, if all works out, you and I could be parents.” Alice kissed Loki’s forehead. “Like we always dreamed.”

Loki’s arms tightened around Alice’s waist, burying his head against her shoulder. Excitement raced through his veins at the idea of being able to start a family with Alice. Would their children have powers? What would they look like? Loki was getting ahead of himself and he knew that. There was no promise of babies to come. But when he lifted his head and stared into Alice’s watery green eyes, he was sure that it would happen. 

Suddenly, Loki felt himself stiffening in his trousers. The thought of Alice with his children was severely arousing to him. It was something he pushed out of his mind long ago when he met her and she admitted to not being able to conceive. Yet, now that it was a possibility, Loki allowed himself to explore that precious concept.

“How about you and I move this party to a more…private venue? You know, for practice purposes.” Loki leaned in and said with a roughness in his voice that told Alice he was feeling the oncoming of a lustful evening. Alice giggled and ran her hands through his hair again.

“I’d love nothing more.”

And so, they ran through the hallways back to their chambers. Loki would press Alice against the wall, kissing her deeply because he couldn’t wait a moment longer to kiss her. She would then push him away and drag him another few feet closer to their room before he dove back in again. 

As Loki kissed her, hands running up and down her wedding dress with the moon reflecting off his raven black hair and the promise of the possibility of children on the horizon, Alice decided that this indeed was her finally perfect forever. Loki’s lips trailed over hers, and he knew exactly what Alice was thinking. He knew that this was what they had been waiting for. A finally perfect forever. After all this time, it was here.

They were sure of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There may or may not be some one-shots featuring Alice and Loki on the horizon, so keep your eye out for those! Thank you again for reading! I love you all so much, I hope you enjoyed reading this fic as much as I enjoyed writing it!


End file.
